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CT Plus stresses that “there is no evidence of... driving standards being compromised” after one of its drivers was accused of dangerous driving by students on a bus.
Earlier this week Express reported that a bus picked up a group of students from St Sampsons High, however, instead of dropping off students the driver subsequently returned to the school and asked the students to disembark back where they’d started.
The reason for the driver returning to the school has been the core of intense public debate.
CT Plus initially put the incident down to “excessive unruly behaviour”.
While the reasoning was supported by dozens of people on social media, several students who were on the bus at the time took issue with the idea that the reason was “unruly behaviour”. They took to Facebook to explain their side of the story and suggest that “it was the bus driver causing all the chaos”.
It’s understood that St Sampsons High School is in conversation with CT Plus about the incident and that several parents are intending to report the incident to the school, to CT Plus, and the Police.
Most recently, CT Plus provided Express with an updated statement on the controversial incident:
“CT Plus, Traffic and Highways and The Education Department liaise regularly about the best ways to manage behaviour and ensure safety for all road users and passengers on school buses.
“CT Plus is not the only operator of school buses and poor behaviour is not limited to isolated cases.
“In keeping with an agreed procedure, the driver gave a warning that the unruly behaviour would see the bus returned to the school, school was contacted while the unruly behaviour was taking place and the bus was met at the school by a teacher. There would be no further drop-offs while the bus is making this direct journey to the school.
“The children then left the bus at the school under the instruction of the teacher. The teacher can help explain to the children, if necessary, how it was the unruly behaviour on the bus that returned them to the school.
“The driver did not react to the children’s departure from the bus, leaving the school to then operate a service bus following the hand-over to the teacher.
“There is no evidence of the driving standards being compromised on this route and while the unruly behaviour was taking place.
“Discussions continue with Traffic and Highways and The Education Department and investigations are continuing to identify children misbehaving.
“We are grateful to the support shown for the actions taken in response to the unruly behaviour and ensuring the safety for all road users and passengers on school buses.”
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