The Claribel school bus service (822) has become extremely overcrowded this term due to an influx of pupils going to Tudor Grange/Alderbrook Schools from the Dickens Heath area. A child fainted on the bus due to the overcrowding recently but was fine and continued with his day at school.
Perhaps the first generation of village children, born when Dickens Heath was first created are now of high school age and have contributed to the sudden increase in high school children needing transport to the Blossomfield Road area schools.
Rumours are going round that cash and non-Claribel bus passes are no longer accepted on the service to alleviate this. DH.net has spoken to Claribel and this is NOT the case.
Claribel confirmed to Dh.net that all passes (Claribel, Council, ‘M’ passes etc.) are accepted as is cash. The company are currently funding their own additional buses to try and relieve the problem whilst Solihull Council meet to discuss a longer-term solution.
It had been proven today that it is not the case that they are still accepting cash payments. My daughter was turned away this morning and told she couldn’t use the 822 any more with cash. She was told to get the 823 (until Monday after that they wouldn’t accept cash either) and was late for school because it dropped her halfway up Blossomfield road. I don’t understand how the company can justify this move it is unacceptable to make parents pay for bus passes with no alternative and therefore charging us for two trips per day when some children like my daughter often don’t get the bus home because they want to do an after school club. I have worked it out to be approximately £120 per year of bus trips I would pay for and not use by paying for a pass. It is even more unacceptable that this rule is brought in overnight causing children to be anxious about getting to school.
Hi Nicky, I spoke to Sara Rose, Transport Administrator for Solihull Council yesterday. She told me that they did tell the bus driver not to accept cash payments the other day due to over crowding and although it was not ideal, the bus company said they could not keep letting on so many children due to H&S so therefore decided cash paying people couldn’t get on (which is still disgraceful) but the bus driver misunderstood and also stopped everyone with an Nbus pass as well. I rang her as I was very unhappy and very concerned as she had personally informed me in June that I could use the NBus Pass on Claribels. She told me that yesterday they had an emergency meeting about the situation. From Monday there will be 2 x 822 Double Decker buses to / from Dickens Heath/Alderbrook. I have just emailed her to ask again about the cash payments from Monday, because as I understand it, the fact there are two buses means no overcrowding and everyone can get on no matter how they pay. I will let you know what she says!
Thanks,
Sharon
Ok, here is Sarah’s response:
All forms of payment will be accepted on both of the 822 services that we will be providing from Monday 1st October 2012. We have increased the capacity on the buses by 30, so there should be no issue with overcrowding.
Regards
Sarah Rose
Transport Administrator
School Asset Support Team
________________________________________
CORRECTION – there will be 2 x SINGLE Decker buses. Each holds 60 pupils!
Thanks,
Sharon
My son fainted on the bus last year through having to stand and the bus is now even more crowded. Something must be done as I dread to think what would happen if, heaven forbid, the bus is involved in an accident.
Now here’s an idea-because Dickens heath has so many kids travelling to alderbrook/tudor grange/St Peters, why not send one bus just for Dickens Heath? Continue with the other going to Cheswick Green , Earlswood etc but just do a straight route to Alderbrook/Tudor Grange/St Peters campus, therefore alieviating the issue of the kids having to leave home at 730am (or earlier), when in reality, the journey only needs to take 20 mins! Just a thought……………
Sounds like Claribel were a little economical with the truth when dh.net spoke to them earlier in the week. Glad to hear there is a resolution.
Decided to remove the joke that appeared on the comments as it wasn’t a comment that contributed directly to the discussion.
Again a totally foreseeable problem – the bus was already overcrowded last year, and with only a few year 11s leaving from from the Heath and around 28 joining to use the bus it was obvious there was going to be another bus needed. Two single decker buses WILL NOT solve this problem, one of them needs to a double decker.