Council sorry after 'distressing' school bus error

Parents have said a blunder over school transport at the start of term has left them "upset and distressed".

North Northamptonshire Council failed to inform families where and when children starting at Montsaye Academy in Rothwell would catch their school buses.

One mother said she felt like "banging my head against a brick wall".

The council has apologised "unreservedly" for the mistake.

Many parents with children due to start at Montsaye said they did not get any communication about transport before the start of term, despite numerous emails and phone calls to try to find out more information.

One mother told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “ I feel like banging my head against a brick wall at the minute.

"It’s very upsetting and distressing for both parents and, more importantly, children, who are all new starters without any information for their first day in school."

Her son is just starting the school in Year 7.

Without the promised bus transport to school each morning, he would have to walk from Desborough alongside a national speed limit road, which many parents have complained is dangerous.

She sent an email to the council at the beginning of August to check that transport had been put in place, but did not receive a response.

Matt Binley, North Northamptonshire Council’s executive member for travel, said: “We are investigating to fully understand how this has happened and will work to make sure that processes are strengthened so this is not repeated and we are sorry that this occurred.

“We are liaising with the school to resolve the matter as quickly as possible and have sent a transport list, so they know who is to travel on which route.

“In the meantime, we would encourage any Montsaye pupils who believe they are entitled to bus transport to get on any Montsaye School bus until passes are issued.

“We acknowledge that in some cases the service has failed to meet the high standards we expect of it and for that we apologise unreservedly.”

A parent of a child in Earls Barton has told the BBC about problems with school transport there.

She said the bus did not arrive on the first day of term, and turned up full on the second, leaving a number of children having to find their own way to school.

The BBC has requested a response from North Northamptonshire Council.

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