Parents of children on a Peel school bus (Number 53) have demanded an explanation from Bus Vannin after a driver allegedly refused to allow children to get off the bus at requested stops.
One parent contacted Manx.news and another has copied us in on an email they have sent to the Head Teacher at QE2 High School:
The email from a parent claims that the driver was allegedly unhappy that someone kept mischievously ringing the ‘Stop’ bell, so then refused to allow any child off the bus at any stop and instead carried on to Douglas.
One child from Glen Vine told Manx.News that the bus driver had stopped the bus at Hawthorn after the first instance of ‘bell ringing’, but then when the journey continued, the driver failed to stop at Crosby and Glen Vine, despite children requesting to exit the bus.
The parent claims that the bus driver had “deliberately held the children against their will and wants police involvement”.
They said that whilst children can cause a nuisance it is not acceptable to hold an entire bus of children ‘captive’, many of who were not involved in the mischievous bell ringing.
Children used emergency exit
The students were phoning their parents from the bus and one parent managed to catch up with the bus.
Some children are alleged to have ‘escaped’ via an emergency exit on the bus.
Another parent has told Manx.News that their son was on the bus and also stated that children escaped via the emergency exit in the vicinity of Railway Hill.
The parent who had intercepted the bus, went to Bus Vannin HQ to demand answers of what had gone on.
They told Manx.News it appeared there were thirty plus children all dropped at Bank Circus in Douglas, many miles from their homes.
Manx.News have approached Bus Vannin for comment.
Was your child on this bus? Contact newsdesk@manx.news if you wish to comment or share your story.
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