Special needs schoolboy left in contract bus depot
A 12-YEAR-OLD boy with Down’s syndrome was left in a bus depot when the transport company failed to drop him at home after school.
Alex Jones, from Barry, had an arrangement to be taken to and from Ysgol Y Deri School in Penarth by CJ Contract Travel Services.
But on January 29 they picked him up but didn’t drop him at home – prompting his mum to become frantic with worry.
Victoria Jones, 36, said: “On the way back he’s supposed to get dropped off around 3.30pm, but he didn’t.
“I rang the school about 4pm. Five minutes later they phoned back and said no bus had broken down. The head teacher rang back and said they were doing everything that they can and he’s not at the school.”
The school checked CCTV and saw that Alex had boarded the bus, which worried Victoria even more.
“I said to the company, ‘you’ve lost my son somewhere’. I sent my husband out after the school said he wasn’t there.”
Alex was eventually found at the bus depot, before they locked up for the night. Victoria said: “The school rang again, saying they had found him and he had been taken back to the depot and left on the bus. I just broke down.
“He’s got Down’s syndrome and been through leukaemia twice. He’s not aware of his surroundings.”
Alex now has taxis paid for by the council.
Vale of Glamorgan Council apologised for the incident, saying it was “an unacceptable failure on the part of the private transport provider”.
They added that the contract with the company has now been terminated and the school was not at fault.
CJ Contract Travel Services declined to comment.