It is ‘absolutely disgusting’ that the dedicated school bus service for Port St Mary students travelling to and from Castle Rushen High School has been withdrawn, according to the port’s commissioners.
Commissioner Rebecca Sinfield raised the issue at a recent local authority meeting, and brought a notice of motion that the board writes to the departments of Infrastructure and Education and Children about the bus service.
From May, students living in Port St Mary have had to catch the regular bus service to and from school.
Ms Sinfield wrote: ‘It has been brought to my attention that Year 7 pupils (11 and 12 years old) have been refused the service home. Usually girls who are not strong enough to fight their way to the front of the queue.
‘On June 12, approximately 20 children were left at the bus stop, which included a child on crutches.
‘On a previous occasion, two Year 7 pupils were refused, one of which had a cello to take home.
‘Is this a service which we expect for vulnerable children; to be left stranded?’
Speaking after the commissioners discussed the issue, Ms Sinfield said: ‘Surely there must be some contract with government for the buses to have a duty of care to get children to and from school.
‘When they miss the bus they then have to go to the (school) office to get a pass for the next bus. This happens on a regular basis, there are 25 to 30 children left at the bus stop.
‘The commissioners are very supportive of what I said. They thought it was absolutely disgusting and could not understand how the department did not have a duty of care, surely it is in the contract to ensure children get to and from school.’
She claimed that young girls tend to lose out in the scramble for seats and tend to be the ones left at the bus stops if the bus is full.
‘All the kids are fighting for seats. It’s survival of the fittest.
‘Next winter is my worry, I cannot imagine what it will be like for little kids worrying about not knowing how they are getting home.
‘When winter comes and there are dark nights and the cold winter weather, would you like your little girl hanging around on a dark night in Castletown?’
Ms Sinfield pointed out, the situation will only deteriorate at the start of the new school year in September, as at present student numbers are down as GCSE students and A level students have now left school.
The local authority agreed to write to the government departments.
