First Bus restricts unaccompanied evening travel for children in Stoke-on-Trent
Bus company First Bus has barred passengers aged 15 and under from travelling unaccompanied after 18:00 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The restriction will remain in force until further notice. The company said it introduced the measure following several incidents of antisocial behaviour after the launch of a free travel scheme for children.
As The Guardian reports, a government free travel scheme for children aged 5 to 15 on participating services in England began on 1 August. According to First Bus, one reason for the restriction was an incident at Hanley bus station in the city centre, where more than 100 young people behaved in an “intimidating and aggressive” manner. Police were called to the scene.
Complaints from drivers and passengers
First Bus regional director Simon Mathieson told BBC Radio Stoke that the incidents had made drivers and passengers feel unsafe. According to him, one driver reported that children were swinging on handrail loops and running around the bus while it was moving.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
At the same time, Mathieson described the free travel scheme as a good initiative that could encourage people to use buses. However, he explained that the company made the decision to protect employees and passengers.
City council reaction
Stoke-on-Trent city councillor responsible for transport Finlay Gordon-McCusker criticised the ban. He said that the overwhelming majority of children affected by it had not been involved in the disturbances. In his view, more transport safety staff could have been deployed on routes where problems arose, while the police presence at the bus station could have been strengthened.
The official also noted that free travel had not created antisocial behaviour, but may have moved it from areas of the city where it had been dispersed and less visible to the bus station. First Bus said in a statement that the decision had been approved by the UK Department for Transport and had the council’s full support. Drivers will be able to use their discretion to allow free travel for unaccompanied children if they are vulnerable or if this is necessary for their safety.
