Bus changes 'inexcusable' as children left behind

Parents and teachers have said it is "inexcusable" that children are being left on the side of a busy road because their bus to and from school is not big enough.

Bus operator Stagecoach changed the vehicle operating the 120 service from Kingswear to Paignton from a double-decker bus to a single-decker bus and now parents say between 10 and 20 children are being left behind every day.

Marigold, 13, said: "Sometimes, especially after school, it's quite violent with lots of people pushing each other just to get a seat on the bus." Her mother, Ronnie, said the situation is "inexcusable".

Stagecoach said it understood the "frustration" and was working to find a solution.

The 120 bus is a public service but it is used by children attending Churston Ferrers Grammar School and South Devon College on mornings and afternoons.

Parents said the transition from a double-decker to a single-decker bus had led to "significant challenges" and observed more than a quarter of students relying on the service could be left behind at least once a week.

They have launched a petition calling on Stagecoach to reinstate the double-decker buses on the route.

Churston Ferrers Grammar School pupil Felicity, 14, said: "I always find it really nerve-wracking because I'm not sure whether I'll be able to get on the bus in time and, if I am, I'm constantly trying to push my way forward so I actually get on the bus."

Parents campaigning to get double-deckers reinstated said students were regularly late to school, impacting their educational experience and putting unnecessary pressure on their academic performance.

One parent, Hallie, said it was "frustrating to live this way" and said she was "really angry".

She said: "Many parents, forced to find alternative transportation at the last minute, arrive late to work, amplifying stress both at home and in their workplaces."

In a statement, Stagecoach said: "We recognise there is a capacity issue on one specific morning journey to school from Kingswear and one specific afternoon journey from school to Kingswear on the 120 service, and we understand the frustration this is causing for pupils and their families.

"Whilst a double-deck vehicle would provide additional capacity, it would be largely underutilised outside these two peak journeys.

"While the route has previously accommodated double-deck vehicles, it is not currently suitable due to vegetation and tree-clearance issues. We are discussing this with the local highways authority to establish what work is required.

"We are continuing to monitor passenger numbers and review the options available to us, with the aim of finding a practical and sustainable way of addressing the additional demand on these school journeys."

In response, Hallie said: "We're being held up and stymied by a bus company over the fact that a tree is hanging over a road and so they can't put a larger bus on the route.

"Frankly, it's just ridiculous."

Students for Churston Ferrers Grammar School are often collected from the bus stop by a minibus from the school in the morning but, if that is not available, like the South Devon College students, they have to wait 45 minutes for the next bus.

Churston Ferrers head teacher James Simpson said: "We're talking about children here. They're terrified, upset, worried."

He said arguments around schedules and commercial interests should take a back seat to "our responsibility to look after and care for young people".

Parents said they were paying nearly £1,000 a year for a student bus pass and the service they were getting was "not acceptable".

Devon County Council said it was working with Stagecoach to address "capacity issues on these particular school journeys".

It said: "We intend to fund the use of a double-deck vehicle on the affected journeys, with the aim of introducing this from after the half-term holiday.

"It's important to note that this route has operated as a single-deck service since September 2025 without reported capacity issues.

"The current challenges have only emerged this academic year due to increased demand on specific journeys."

It added it would be working "proactively" with Stagecoach because the service was used by a wider range of passengers, even though it did not have a statutory duty to do so.

Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.