A number of parents have said they are concerned about how the bus service for school pupils between Mannofield and Hazlehead operated on Wednesday 21st August.

Some of the points raised by parents are worrying and I have contacted council staff seeking answers.

I contacted council staff about this on Wednesday 21st August. My email to them states:

Good Evening

A number of people have raised concerns about the bus service run to Hazlehead Academy by Bains on behalf of the council.

I have been told that the arrangement last school year was for two buses to provide this service but that in the new school year just started this service is now provided by just one bus.

One resident described the service on Wednesday 21st August as “carnage”.

I am told The bus was apparently packed half way round the route and that the driver call d his office to report this and was told to not pick up any further pupils waiting for the bus and to leave them to make their own way to school. I am told that, despite this, the driver allowed more pupils onto the bus.

One person told me that on the return journey later in the day some pupils could not get off at their stops because the bus was so packed they were unable to move.

I understand complaints have been made to both the council and Bains. The people who contacted me ask whether this new arrangement is going to be permanent and, if so, does the council believe it is appropriate that pupils should be crammed onto the bus or left to make their own way to school?

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