A mother has renewed her protest at a bus company for its ‘appalling’ service, stranding school children in the rain ‘at risk’.

Stagecoach SW already been under fire for introducing changes to its services between Tavistock and Plymouth used by pupils.

Many parents have raised the issues of higher ticket prices, the apparent need for children to use smartphones and the cancellation of a key bus service between Tavistock and Plymouth. The issue has led to which have led to MPs meeting the managing director.

Now that the new school term has started, parents have renewed their criticism of the reliability of the service which they say is putting children at risk by abandoning them without adult supervision - a safeguarding issue.

Mum Kerri Daymond said: “Stagecoach is currently providing an appalling level of service. My daughter has just started at Plymouth High School for Girls, and out of the five days she has taken the bus (the number one route) home to Yelverton, three of those journeys have been badly delayed.

“On Tuesday, September 9, the situation was at its worst: Six buses in a row failed to turn up. Dozens of schoolchildren and members of the public were left waiting in the rain for hours.

“This is a safeguarding issue—children being stranded on a busy city street for long periods of time is simply unacceptable.

“What makes this even more disgraceful is the combination of rising ticket prices and a noticeable decline in service quality.

“I cannot help but feel incredulous. Parents who have had children attending Plymouth High School for Girls for many years tell me that while the bus service has never been perfect, it has never been this unreliable.

Strikingly, this decline in service seems to have coincided with Stagecoach launching private school bus routes, which are priced far beyond the reach of many families.”

Kerri and other parents have formally complained to Stagecoach, Plymouth City Council and Devon County Council. ‘Because they need to be aware of the appalling service being delivered by the providers who operate in their areas’.

Kerri has also written to SW Devon MP Rebecca Smith: “I do not want my daughter experiencing the stress and upset she went through, and with no confidence in the service being provided, we are already dreading her journey’s home.”

A Stagecoach spokesman said: “We understand bus service changes between Tavistock and Plymouth have caused real concern for families, particularly at the start of the school term.

“We recognise that the timing of these changes has been challenging as new routines are established.

“Stagecoach continually reviews our services, and we are committed to improving travel options for students and families. We are listening carefully to feedback from parents, working closely with schools and local partners, and exploring ways to make journeys as reliable, accessible, and affordable as possible.”

The spokesman said iy did not have any record of six consecutive buses failing to operate, but ‘appreciated’ receiving customers’ feedback: “We would encourage all of our customers to get in touch with us directly regarding our services so that we can fully investigate and respond to specific concerns.”