Stagecoach 'sorry' after 16 children left stranded

A HORAM resident has slammed bus operator Stagecoach after 16 schoolchildren were stranded in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday.

Terry Smith, of Cambridge Lane, said his 13-year-old daughter Samantha, and her friend Hazel Levy, were marooned for two hours in the Kent town because TWO Stagecoach buses failed to turn up when they were due.

Company director Terry said his daughter, who had been out Christmas shopping, was forced to phone him to ask to be collected. By the time he had arrived in Tunbridge Wells, Heathfield Community College students Samantha and Hazel had been waiting for two hours in the cold and the dark. He added that by then, 14 other schoolchildren had joined them in the queue to return to Heathfield.

Terry said: 'When my daughter and her friend caught the number 52 Stagecoach bus to Tunbridge Wells, their intention was to return on the 16.00hr service.

However, it didn t arrive, so they waited for the 17.00hr service, which didn t arrive either.

'Waiting for these buses were 14 other children from my daughter s school, all aged between 12 and 15, standing in the dark on a cold winter s evening, each with bags of shopping wondering how they were going to get home.

'Samantha rang me at 5.20pm to explain the problem they were having and I went to collect them. By the time I arrived they had been standing around for two hours.

Terry added that some of the children were forced to walk to the town s railway station and catch a train to Stonegate while others were picked up by parents who had to drive out to Tunbridge Wells to collect them.

In a letter written to Neil Instrall, of Stagecoach in Eastbourne, Terry said: 'There can be NO justification by your company for this irresponsible action.

'Firstly, you accept return fares from the children, apparently with no intention of getting them back, and then leave them stranded on the streets in the dark and the cold. This kind of action increases the paranoia that parents suffer regarding giving their young ones some independence and certainly deters them from relying on your services in the future.

Divisional manager Mr Instrall said: 'Those two journeys weren t going to operate because of staff shortages and staff sickness in the depot. On that day the controller was made aware of the situation and a driver and vehicle was dispatched to Tunbridge Wells to get the people home.

'We are very sorry that this happened. We are currently recruiting extra staff in the Eastbourne area. We have four people in training at the moment, two of which have just passed their passenger carrying vehicle tests.