Apology over school bus 'chaos'

Rhondda Cynon Taf council apologised to parents for the problems with buses

A council has apologised after parents did not receive their children's school transport details in time for the first day of term.

Some families in Rhondda Cynon Taf said they did not know where or when their children had to catch school buses.

One school governor in Abercyon said there had been "absolute chaos" and some parents had been in tears.

The council said it had recently completed an "extensive" transport tendering process.

It involved arranging more than 600 transport tenders for 12,000 pupils.

The authority apologised for "any inconvenience caused".

Gary Marsh, chair of governors at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Abercynon, said there had been "absolute chaos" on Tuesday morning.

He said: "The first day of school is a traumatic time for any parent at any school.

"Not only have they had to deal with that, these parents and children didn't have any bus passes to start with and they didn't know which bus to go on.

"Parents were getting in their cars and driving their children to school.

"There's been parents in tears today."

Mr Marsh said the school and governors were responsible for the welfare of the children and had been left by the council to "pick up the pieces of this shambles".

My son was really upset because I couldn't prepare him for how he was going to school Hayley Dance

"We've had staff waiting to meet children as they got off the buses this morning to take their names and make sure we send them home safely on the same buses later," he said.

Parent Hayley Dance said her father had to take time off work on Monday to take her 11-year-old disabled son Jake to school in Pontypridd because of the bus problems.

"My son was really upset because I couldn't prepare him for how he was going to school," she said.

"He's severely autistic, he has communication problems and he can't speak, he can only show his emotions.

"It's just been horrendous."

She added a friend's son had waited for a school bus but it did not turn up and his father had to take him.

Rhondda Cynon Taf council said staff had worked until up to 2300 BST on weeknights and through the weekend in a bid to finalise contracts and arrange the details parents and carers needed.

The council said letters were sent to parents at the weekend, with staff taking them to Cardiff personally to ensure their delivery in time for Monday.

A statement said: "Unfortunately, some people have not received their letters and the authority can only apologise for inconvenience caused."

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Rhondda Cynon Taf council