A bus firm boss is threatening to withdraw a school service – only two days after it started – after a brand-new coach was vandalised.
Millburn Academy is working with its community police officer after some of its pupils were accused of trashing the new bus.
CCTV of the alleged incidents have been passed to the Inverness school, which is one of the north’s best-performing.
It happened on Tuesday afternoon on a service headed for Milton of Leys.
D&E is running a temporary service until the Christmas holidays after Stagecoach terminated its contract due to a driver shortage.
Grab handles were broken, a seat was ripped and food was thrown all over the bus.
D&E owner Donald Matheson said he was “incensed” by the behaviour.
Bus firm compensated for damage
After being contacted by The P&J on Wednesday, Mr Matheson said: “The school is sorting it out now.
“They’ve paid for the damage, they’d have to do that.
“But if this continues, we’ll just take the buses off.”
Bus services across the country have been plagued by problems in recent months.
A large-scale shortage of drivers has exacerbated the situation.
D&E stepped in to fill in the gaps and only started running a new service to Millburn Academy on Monday.
The route was branded “utterly unreliable” by exasperated parents earlier this year.
‘Bus vandalism needs to be nipped in the bud’
News of the damage has attracted some criticism locally.
Inverness South councillor Duncan Macpherson said: “It’s very disappointing. I’m sure parents and teachers will be unhappy to hear this and see this.
“It needs to be nipped in the bud.
“What happens if this bus ends up off the road? That needs to be explained to people guilty of these behaviours.”
Highland Council will be running a pilot project to expand its in-house school bus provision.
But it doesn’t begin until January 2023.
A spokeswoman for Highland Council said: “The school is working with its community police officer.
“It is not appropriate for us to say anything further while investigations are taking place.”
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