School bus disruption ‘intolerable’ for special needs teen

The EA has apologised for the disruption and any breakdown in communication.

In a letter to the family, the organisation blamed “a shortage of drivers but also a shortage of vehicles” within the fleet.

“It is becoming even more difficult to ensure our services remain operational when we encounter staff absences and vehicle breakdowns.”

In a statement to the BBC, the EA said it was working to minimise any further disruption as far as possible.

“We can confirm that the service is currently operational, but unfortunately, due to staff sickness, mechanical issues and recent poor weather conditions, we were unable to transport children who use the service on a number of occasions.”

A spokesperson said every effort is made to reinstate the service quickly or put in place contingency arrangements when issues arise.

“Where this isn’t possible, our team will immediately try to contact parents/carers to make them aware but, regrettably, issues may occur out of hours or at very short notice which can make it difficult to do so.”

The spokesperson added that the EA “recognise the impact the disruption can have on the learning and routine of pupils” and are “committed to further developing contingency plans” and improving communications with families.