Glemsford and Sudbury mums hit out at school bus delays

Sarah Crook's daughter Connie, 13, and Martine Hutchinson's daughter Effie, also 13, were due to get on the Hedingham & Chambers 236 school bus from to Clare's Stour Valley Community School on Tuesday morning, but the bus did not arrive.

Hedingham & Chambers said this was due to a mechanical issue.

Ms Crook said the bus, which should stop in Glemsford to pick up Connie at about 7.38am, is often delayed.

Sarah Crook with daughter Connie (Image: Sarah Crook)

"It is not good enough. This happens so often and whilst we get mechanical issues happen, there needs to be a better way of informing people," she said. 

"I couldn't let her wait beyond 8.15am as she was freezing and it wasn't until she was on her way back home that we were informed the service was cancelled." 

Ms Crook drove Connie to school but said other parents who had already left for work or who were unable to drive would not have been able to do so. 

"Updating the app 45 minutes later is not good enough when children are waiting in this cold weather," she said.

Ms Hutchinson's daughter Effie should have got on the bus at 7.18am in Sudbury to get to Stour Valley. 

Stour Valley Community School, where the girls were due to be taken (Image: Stour Valley Community School)

She said of the service: "This morning my daughter waited for over an hour in minus temperatures.

"When I spoke to the school they were trying desperately to get hold of the company. I had also tried to call them but as usual no one was answering the phone." 

Ms Hutchinson was unable to drive Effie to school as she does not currently have a car, meaning her daughter cannot get into school if the bus does not come. 

She added: "During the times we have had bad rain my daughter has waited in appalling weather, only for the bus to just not turn up.

"No update from the bus company, no chance of getting information as they never answer the phone, no proper apology. Time and time again it happens and, as parents, we have really had enough."

A Hedingham & Chambers spokesman said the bus did not run due to mechanical issues and this information was shared with the school, as well as on its website and app. 

"Unfortunately, at the time the bus fault was reported, there were no spare vehicles in the depot to send a bus out immediately," the spokesman said.

"Schools were advised that the journey would run with a delay and as soon as a bus returned to the depot, this was sent out to operate route 236.

"We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused to some school children and their parents this morning."