Call for 'bus bouncers' (From Stroud News and Journal)

Call for 'bus bouncers'

BUS drivers and parents are calling for bouncers on school buses to control unruly youngsters travelling around the Stroud district.

At the Transport and General Workers' Union conference next month, a motion calling for staff to escort pupils on all school buses is expected to be passed.

Regional Industrial Organiser Andy Hamblin said it was too early to talk about whether drivers will strike if Gloucestershire County Council ignore the resolution.

Mr Hamblin said: "We know the kids are unruly and they are abusive to drivers.

"But if a driver tried to play the bouncer really I am sure there wouldn't be anything done to the kid for being abusive - it's more likely that my driver would be disciplined."

Following a report in last week's SNJ, in which parents called for seat belts to be fitted on school buses, Stroud bus driver Ian Thomson contacted us about the problems he encounters with unruly school children.

Mr Thomson, who works for Stagecoach, said: "I personally feel that the onus is always on the bus driver, which is unfair. We are not registered childminders.

"Kids do climb about. But unless I get out of my seat and go up and see them, and possibly get abuse, what can I do?

"We do a service bus and the comments I get about the language are unbelievable. Some of these older ladies are quite horrified. They are shaking and just glad to get off."

"It's hard enough to get the bus from A to B without having to sort all this out."

The idea of employing staff to ensure children behave themselves has been backed by parents including Minchinhampton Cllr Katie Jarvis.

Jane Brookfield, whose daughter takes the bus from Arlingham to Stroud High School, said: "I have never responded to a newspaper article in my life, but I feel really strongly about this.

"I would take her myself in the car but I have to drop off my other child."