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School bus cuts anger parents       25/8/14

 

Pupils are sitting in wet clothes all day in class after the Comhairle axed school bus services around a group of villages on Lewis, it is claimed.

 

Local councillors are due to meet with education officials over the row which affects pupils in Benside, Bakers’ Road, Marybank and Newvalley.

 

Outraged parent Kristeen Munro is horrified children have to negotiate narrow, winding roads, often lacking in pavements, which she insists are unsafe and dangerous in winter.

 

She said pupils are getting wet in rain showers on the walk through the villages to the main road before they can get an alternative bus.

 

But the bus shelter is too small and children end up standing outside on the side of the road waiting for the bus.

 

This means “cars swerving onto the other side of the road to avoid killing kids,“ she stated.

 

Kristeen Munro added: “There is no reason to take the buses off the route just to save a few pounds.

“These council officials would not walk this themselves - why are they picking on the kids?”

 

“ Children have to walk in the rain and sit in classes in sodden clothes all day. This will really affect their health.

 

“My child came home soaking wet the other day” as a result of the cancelled busses, she added.

 

She said: “The only other buses are along the main road. The council did not officially notify anyone of this.”

 

A Comhairle spokesman said: “It was always understood the buses would not be covering the same route this year.”