‘No stop’ policy puts children on public service

AFTER eight years Schofields mum Sarah Lynch is wondering “why now” has the timetable for Busways school service 6548 been changed.

Sarah Lynch is upset that the school bus that used to drop her kids Meghan 8, Darcy 12 and Claire 14, off on Railway Terrace in Schofields is no longer stopping for them.

AFTER eight years Schofields mum Sarah Lynch is wondering “why now” has the timetable for Busways school service 6548 been changed.

Her frustration comes after she found out through her children last month the school bus they usually travel on from St Joseph’s Primary School to get home won’t be stopping at “their usual stop” on Railway Terrace between Westminster Rd, Schofields and Garfield Rd, Riverstone.

“My children came home and told me the bus driver said they won’t be stopping at their usual stop and they needed to use the public bus T74 service,” Mrs Lynch said.

“I am aware that the timetable reflects ‘no set down’, however over the last eight years my children, have taken 6548 ‒ formally bus 1 ‒ and it has always stopped on Railway Tce after Westminster Rd without an issue.

“I know of over a dozen children who disembark along that section whose only alternative will be the public T74.

“The issue with T74 is it is a public service that places my eight-year-old and other primary students at risk.”

She said when a Busways representative attended St Josephs encouraging all parents to apply for bus passes, “I asked directly and was informed that a child is able to signal to the driver to stop any bus and they will set down if it is a safe place to stop and a reasonable distance between stops.

“Can you please explain the justification for why bus 6548 is unable to set down along the section of Railway Tce, when there is a designated lane, curb and guttering and safe visibility for the bus driver and children?” she said.

Busways group planning and service development manager Dave Davies said the school bus service did not, and should not be making stops on Railway Terrace (between Westminster St and Garfield Rd).

“This timetable has been in place as early as July 2015 and there has been no change to this school bus service since then,” he said.

“We have been made aware this service has not been operating in the manner intended and we will be reviewing driver training in relation to this.”

Mr Davies said the reason they were unable to drop off students was due to the way their services were scheduled across the network.

“This is necessary to balance the number of passengers over a range of bus services,” he said.

“We acknowledge the concerns expressed from parents from St Joseph’s Primary School.

“We will be reviewing the loads in the new school year and are taking into consideration the feedback received.”