Girl, 13, barred from bus
A FURIOUS mum has criticised a bus company after her daughter and other pupils were barred from the school bus.
Shelle Richmond was on her way to work on Wednesday morning when she got a call from her distressed daughter Ebony, 13, whose temporary bus pass had been rejected by the driver of the K5 First Bus service.
It is believed that several other Honley High School students were also left at the roadside in Meltham after experiencing the same problem with the school-issued bus passes.
“I just find it absolutely outrageous,” said Shelle.
“This is a serious safeguarding issue and I believe it is against bus company policy to leave vulnerable people at a bus stop.”
She added: “We trust our children to this bus company. They should never leave a child on the roadside. Imagine if she didn’t have a phone to ring me or I wasn’t around.”
Shelle, who ended up being late for work after dropping off her daughter, said Ebony had shown the driver her pass and a copy of an email which stated that her application for a free bus pass was being processed.
Shelle has lodged a complaint with bus company First Bus.
A spokesman for First Bus, Chris Burton, operations manager for the Yellow School Bus Service, said an “incorrect pass had been used.”
He added: “We’re sorry to hear that a pupil from Honley High School was unable to board one of our school services, but I would like to reassure readers that we are investigating this complaint as a matter of urgency.
“We are working with the school and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to find a solution to recent issues, including occasions where an incorrect pass is used.”
A First Bus spokeswoman added that Honley High School had issued the temporary bus pass “without checking with the bus company.”
“There has been some confusion over temporary passes which we are hoping to resolve soon.”
The spokeswoman said parents who had concerns should contact First Bus.
Paul Greenough, headteacher at Honley High School, said: “The school are aware there has been an issue, and we will be meeting with the bus company to discuss this further.
“In the meantime we will do everything we can to ensure students are supported.”