A group of students is vowing to fight back after legal warnings from Greyhound quashed plans to run buses from London to the GTA.

Lawyer John Nunziata, a former Liberal MP with two kids attending London’s Western University, will help them out on a pro-bono basis.

“I know what it’s all about for kids to get back and forth,” said Nunziata. “These students have come up with a service that fills a void.”

Bill Mei, 19, and Darren Cole, 18, launched a $25 bus service from Kingston to Toronto for students at Queen’s University, which they both attend, over the Thanksgiving weekend. They wanted to expand it to offer a “London Rocket” for the Christmas holidays. Costing $18 to $20, it was due to start Dec. 18.

But a stern letter from lawyers representing Greyhound nixed the idea, warning that Greyhound is the only company licensed to provide scheduled public transportation between London and Toronto.

It ordered London Rocket to cancel its service and refund tickets or it would seek a cease-and-desist order from the Ontario Highway Transportation Board.

The London Rocket organizers complied, refunding roughly 150 tickets.

Greyhound spokesman Timothy Stokes said in a statement records show the carrier in question was not licensed. Stokes did not respond to a request for comment Thursday.

Provincial legislation requires an operating licence for public vehicles. The Public Vehicles Act also forbids arranging transportation using anyone who doesn’t hold licences. The students researched bus companies to hire as charters and thought they were covered.

Services like the London Rocket are not charters, but scheduled services, said Ontario Highway Transportation Board secretary Felix D’Mello.

To obtain a scheduled service licence, applicants must appear at a board hearing and prove a public need, said D’Mello, adding the board hasn’t had any involvement beyond receiving a copy of the letter sent to the London Rocket.

The University of Waterloo’s student union runs a similar service, known as Fed Bus. Greyhound filed a complaint against it for operating an unlicensed scheduled bus service in 2006.

An initial board ruling wouldn’t recognize it as a charter but following public hearings, Fed Bus got a scheduled service licence.

Cole said they will likely apply for a scheduled service licence.

“Now that we’ve got a bit of legal help, we’re looking forward to fighting it,” he said.

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Nunziata said Greyhound should “pick on someone their own size.”

“If they want to bring an action against these students . . . bring it on. Let’s deal with it.”