School bus campaign for Shene students (From Richmond and Twickenham Times)

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School bus campaign for Shene students

9:13am Sunday 6th July 2008

comment Comments (12) Have your say »

By Ian Mason »

East Sheen students are facing long waits, two-hour journeys and uncooperative bus drivers on a daily basis, according to their head.

Shene School has conducted a survey which estimated that about 15,000 hours of pupils' education was lost last year due to the lack of service from Transport for London (TfL).

�It�s completely perverse that other schools in the borough have dedicated buses and we do not.�
Headteacher Lesley Kirby

Headteacher Lesley Kirby has seen buses drive straight past her pupils while they stand helpless at bus stops and heard about children as young as 12 being thrown off vehicles that were "too full".

She said that one parent had seen students pleading on their knees to be let on one of Transport for London's (TfL) single decker 33 buses.

The Park Avenue school has sent a "long" letter to Mayor of London Boris Johnson, with a DVD about its plight and a petition with several hundred signatures calling for a dedicated bus service.

Ms Kirby said: "It's completely perverse that other schools in the borough have dedicated buses and we do not."

Currently, three members of staff regularly have to carry out "bus duty" and ensure children are able to get on to them.

She added that with 750 students - many of whom live outside the borough - travelling home at the same time "litter, noise, crowded pavements and general inconvenience" to residents can result.

Parliamentary rivals Susan Kramer MP and Zac Goldsmith have thrown their support behind the school's campaign drive.

However, despite calls from Shene and Ms Kramer, Mr Johnson and TfL are refusing to get on board.

TfL claims that "there is sufficient capacity on the bus routes that serve Shene" and has no plans to introduce a dedicated school service.

Mr Johnson said that since March the 33 was scheduled to arrive every six minutes when classes finish in the afternoons.

Ms Kirby described the suggestion buses stopped so often as "laughable" and Ms Kramer, "disappointed" by the Mayor's response, is planning to quiz him face to face on the issue.

What do you think about the campaign? Email rtt@london.newsquest.co.uk School bus campaign video

The campaign has now been taken online in a video produced by students and film-makers from Friction.tv.

Year eight pupil Amine Turay, who features in the video, said: "A school bus will be easier for every student because the bus will go straight to school and will always be reliable and on time.

Zac Goldsmith added: "It is unacceptable that something as simple as a lack of buses is having such a detrimental effect on these young people's education."

To see Shene's film visit friction.tv/ftv_debate.php?debate_id=3016

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Your Say YourRichmond

K. Clark, East Sheen says...
4:30pm Wed 9 Jul 08

I hope the children get a dedicated school as contrary to the article, I thought the teachers (and police) were there to ensure the safety of the public.

I have never seen the children beg to get on the buses, but have many a time seen them push their way in front of elderly and even pregnant (myself) passengers. I've seen them not offer their seat to an octanagerian and absolutely don't blame bus drivers for driving past bus stops with that mob waiting to decend.

quote

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GML, Barnes says...
1:13pm Thu 10 Jul 08

I'm entirely in agreement with K. Clark. I've made several complaints to the school and bus company over the years over the appalling behaviour of the children. I was told by the head of the school on the last occasion I made contact, that whilst aware that a 'significant' proportion of the school's pupils unacceptable behaviour, they (the school) could not be held responsible for their behaviour outside of school. This was after an incident where a number of the children were fighting on the bus amid elderly, pregnant and young child passengers. I had to get off the bus several stops early because I was actually frightened for my own safety. I suggest that the head takes responsibility for the discipline and behaviour of their pupils whether inside or outside school (as my own son's school do when travelling to and from his school, and penalise and punish those that do misbehave). I too hope they get a dedicated bus service so I don't have to be inconvenienced by their behaviour or plan my journeys in order to avoid them.

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pp, hammersmith says...
11:12pm Thu 10 Jul 08

shene school claim buses are infrequent and drivers are always refusing them travel. this is totally untrue as buses average 6 - 8 minutes to and from the school. if shene school was as affluent as the head teacher claims then why is there at least a dozen pcso's waiting for them to come out and why is it tfl staff have to monitor the loading of children in hammersmith in the mornings. there are teachers who travel amongst the children who refuse to get involved when children are abusive and in some cases violent towards members of the public. although kept quiet by shene school their own delightful children managed to knock a school inspector off his feet when boarding. a female teacher in hammersmith this morning was instructing children to wait for the next bus to give a false impression that the buses cant cope, this was then recorded by a cameraman, i assume this must of been the drama teacher. shene school need to realise its not tfl but the lack of any discipline given to their children.

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karen, Barnes says...
12:53pm Fri 11 Jul 08

If I was a bus driver I wouldn't stop to pick them up! I agree with the other comments these kids are rude, aggresive and basically "pig ignorant" Let them walk, it's good excercise.

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john, teddington says...
9:35pm Fri 11 Jul 08

I agree with all of the above comments i have been on the bus when the schools have finished. they have no manners what so ever or respact for anyone. what this headteacher Ms Kirby is banging on about a dedicated bus service may she take it out of her school funds but first i think she should teach her students some manners after all we the tax payers are paying her a wage to provid a service which sheen school is not doing there are other schools in the brough you don't hear anything from. why blame the poor bus drivers for doing their jobs i have even heard some of her little angels swearing at the bus drivers i don't think anyone should have to put with this sort of abusive behaviour

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Louise Sullivan, East Sheen says...
12:44am Sat 12 Jul 08

I myself have also witnessed the children from Shene School abusing bus drivers and shop keepers. I was once on a route 33 bus last year when two Shene School students started fighting on the bus. The end result of this was that they both whilst fighting smashed through the buses rear doors and ended up on the pavement before running off towards Barnes Station. This left the bus unable to travel any further and we all had to get off and wait for the next one. Mrs Kirby Headteacher says that her pupils would be better behaved / monitored on their own school bus when obviously her pupils have absolutly no respect for property. If they cant be well behaved in pupil imagine what they would be like behind close doors on their own school bus, don't make me laugh. The problem is not the buses as I have witnessed many times but the school children. Someone at that school should stop looking for others to blame and wake up and smell the coffee.

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mr larry axten, feltham says...
10:52pm Tue 15 Jul 08

AS A BUS DRIVER I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE CHILDREN ARE OFTEN RUDE AND ABUSIVE TO THE BUS DRIVERS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT IT IS AGAINST TFL RULE BOOK THAT STATES NOONE IS ALLOWED TO STAND AT THE FRONT OF THE BUSES.I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO DRAW YOU TO THE FACT THAT IN THE AFTERNOONS THE CHILDREN HAVE BOXES OF CHICKEN THAT THEY JUST THROW ON THE FLOOR WHEN THEY HAVE FINISHED WITH IT.I FEEL THIS IS UNFAIR TO OTHER PASSENGERS.I ALSO AGREE THE CHILDREN DO PUSH INFONT OF OTHER PEOPLE WAITING FOR THE BUS

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mm, hammersmith says...
2:51pm Thu 17 Jul 08

I have seen on a regular basis the children from shene school behaving like animals. They are abusive and violent to all passengers and bus drivers. I for one feel that the TFL staff who put up with this at Hammersmith bus station should receive some kind of medals for there heroic behaviour in making sure that the peace abiding public travel safely. Let them have there own bus but make sure it is a cattle truck cos thats what thet deserve. Also let the headteacher drive it.

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Bruinhilda, London says...
9:41pm Thu 17 Jul 08

These children look like the cast of "Little Britian". I can't believe they are the offspring of my neighbours. Can anybody let me know if they are part of a government scheme to bus children in from "deprived" neighbourhoods? They are certainly ruining ours!

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Donna, Barnes says...
7:18am Fri 18 Jul 08

I agree with all the above the children are rude abusive. I don't know what they teach them at school but it should be manners.iF I were a bus driver i would drive past them also they push and shove and push past people waiting to get on the bus.

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Olu, Elephant and Castle says...
4:33pm Fri 18 Jul 08

I use to work at hammersmith and the rudeness and disprect of these school kids is unbelievable. They are so unruly that officials have to stand by the buses so that they board in an orderly manner. To say the wait for up to two hours is a laugh. If they are there for two hours, its because they are messing about with their friends and making other passengers feel very uneasy.
As school kids, they should wait for buses and do so with regard for others. The earlier they wake up, the earlier they will get to school. They must learn at this stage that life is not that simple and you never get everything you want when you want it. the frequency of the rouute 33 is perfectly capable of transporting them to and from school within an hour or far less.

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Unknown, Hammersmith says...
5:43pm Mon 21 Jul 08

Being one of the people who has to supervise the shene pupils as they get on and off the buses, I see first hand the way the pupils behave. In my opinion the head teacher is disillusioned, and from what she has said, she clearly has not got a clue about the behaviour of her so called "delightful" students. She talks about the over crowding on the route 33 bus, this is only due to the children choosing to wait in Hammersmith bus station, letting numerous buses go by with out attempting to board them, which results in a large amount of pupils all trying to squeeze on the last possible bus inorder to get to school on time. Some are rude and disrespectful towards the other members of the public and they have no worries about pushing their way to the front in order to get on the bus first to gain a seat. I have also witnessed bus drivers taking an incredible amount of abuse from pupils who they challenge, who fail to abide by the rules of using an Oyster card for their journey. I agree that Shene school should have their own bus service, but I believe it should be funded by the School and NOT by TFL. I only agree on the dedicated bus, so that the other members of the public can then have a peaceful and safe journey.

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