School children in Surrey are being forced to miss school when their buses don’t arrive, parents say.
Stagecoach has blamed the pandemic for a lack of drivers.
For some, the bus arrives but is too full to let them on, forcing pupils to walk back home and either get lifts or miss school completely.
One parent said the problem has been affecting Chiddingfold students for several weeks, but other villages in Waverley are also affected.
Stagecoach, which runs the bus services, said there continued to be a shortage of drivers following the Covid pandemic.
Last Thursday, the company posted on its Twitter feed that Stagecoach did not run 70 bus services due to driver shortages.
Ann Hughes’ son catches a bus from their home in Chiddingfold to his school in Haslemere.
She told BBC Radio Surrey: “It’s been going on for weeks and weeks and it’s escalating. Now it’s daily.”
‘Children left standing’
Ms Hughes said: “Sometimes you tell your children the bus has been cancelled, and then a bus arrives.
“At other times, they don’t tell you it’s cancelled; the children are left standing there.
“Sometimes there are 10 or 12 children walking home.”
Kirstin McDonald’s daughter catches a bus from Chiddingfold to Guildford so she can get to college.
She said because she works from 09:00 to 18:00, she can’t get her into college or bring her home.”She doesn’t go to college when the bus doesn’t arrive.”
The usual two-buses that ferried pupils to St Peters School in Guildford from Cranleigh and beyond has been reduced to one.
A spokesperson from Stagecoach said:
“We are continuing to face a short-term staffing situation that is out of our control due to the ongoing effects of the pandemic. As a result, this is having an impact on our bus services in Guildford.
“We are also taking proactive steps to alleviate the situation by recruiting new drivers.”
Tuesday: Travelled on the Stagecoach 46 thatserves all the Western schools of Farnham.
How these drivers cope with the roads and more importantly the atrocious driving parking and abuse beats me.
A busy bus with mixed aged students and passengers on the way to work.
Perhaps less special school services and more general services would ease the situation.
Whilst waiting for the 46 two coaches stopped to pick up students. Parents undoubtedly paying for them. Surrey cannot afford anything.
Stagecoach will need these students to stay commercially viable. At least Stagecoach offers a service for all.
Yes. Stagecoach has problems. But they are still there. Which is more than the rest.
As for those that drive the previous one to school. Get real. I noted more parents walking their brood than six month ago. Follow the trend. Darlings.It’s so not Farnham to drive.
Worth a try.
MeaninglessMud
Good advice. But walking from Shamley Green to Guildford or Chiddingfold to Godalming, not much fun!