My son aged 8 years old and his friend who is 7 travel to school on a Websters bus and are greeted by another bus which transports children from Websters to Northmuir Primary. Yesterday the connecting bus either didn’t arrive or left early; leaving the two children abandoned at Knowehead roundabout. After waiting for a while the pair decided they would have to walk to school. The 7 year old was beside herself with grief and sobbed all the way, walking in the pouring rain towards school. The children who don’t know Kirriemuir very well; walked the route the bus normally takes (passed Spar, Martin Park, Kinnordy Road end and through Woodend Drive) to Northmuir Primary, arriving at school at 09:40. I was alerted when a friend phoned at 09:30 to ask if our son goes to Northmuir Primary school as he was spotted walking along the road, I contacted the school who hadn’t gotten registers completed and instead contacted his teacher.....my son was missing. Immediately we got into a vehicle and raced into Kirriemuir, thankfully our friend drove back to find our son and phoned us back just as the pair walked up the school path. They were safe, I was relieved at that but confused why this even took place. The lady in the school office was fantastic, she couldn’t have done anymore; in fact she has done more to prevent this happening again than Angus Council Education and Transport Department. Who have told us that fare paying children are not their responsibility and our questions should be diverted toward JP Coaches. JP Coaches?! Who do not and have not ever contacted us when they know a bus has broken down; bearing in mind I have a non-fare paying daughter too on the same bus, leaving children stranded at bus collection points. The same JP Coaches who charge £1 per journey to travel 3 miles, so £2 per day to get to school; even though they have a paid contract by the council and empty seats on their buses. The company who used to sell 10 journey tickets for £8 but soon decided they would charge £10 for 10 journeys. Angus Council should ensure that the school bus contract is not awarded to the undercutting company; it should be awarded to a business where each driver is police checked and cares for the children who are passengers on the bus. I am not taking this to JP Coaches, the responsibility lies on Angus Council. Someday a child or children will suffer for the blame shoving Angus Council, maybe only grief stricken parents of a deceased or abused child will make the council sit up and listen? But where’s the sense in that? Prevention is a better cure! When a parent puts their child on a school bus, is it right that we should not expect them to get transported to school? Should all parents drive their children to school, causing traffic issues.....I think not! School buses are called school buses for a reason, I didn’t flag any vehicle down shove my kids into it and hope for the best; where has sensibility gone?
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 14:52:04 +0000
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