AN inquiry is being instigated by a regional bus company, following allegations of vandalism involving students from Tavistock College. The alleged incident occurred at the end of the school day last Wednesday, when the First bus in question was held up in heavy congestion in the Crowndale Road area. Police officers were on the scene to try and guide the vehicles out of the area ? a spokesperson for First said the bus driver left the vehicle for a very short time to speak to the police officer, not letting the bus from his sight. The spokesperson said: ?When the driver returned to the depot and the bus was inspected, the vehicle had been attacked and badly damaged by the school children. As a result, the vehicle had to be taken out of service until it can be repaired.? The spokesperson said the damage included the arms from some of the seats being torn out. She said: ?We have all kinds of problems with school children doing things like this, in all parts of the country. In other areas we have actually put in bus monitors. ?It?s hard for the drivers ? we recruit people because they want to be bus drivers, they are good at learning routes and maneouvring vehicles, but we don?t expect them to have to do crowd control, it?s not part of their job.? Gerald Taylor, managing director of First buses, said: ?Safety is our number one priority and we have investigated this incident thoroughly. ?First is aware of the antisocial behaviour of these children and will be contacting the school to see how we can work together to ensure the safety of the driver, the customers and the vehicle.? But Chris Powell, acting principal at Tavistock College, said so far, neither the school nor Devon County Council had been informed about the allegations and he had received no reports about any incident on the buses from any other source. ?Obviously if somebody from the company talks to me about it, we will investigate, but I have been told nothing whatsoever about this,? said Mr Powell. He said he could make no further comment as the school had received no communications from First. A spokesman for Devon County Council said if First contact the authority with a complaint it would be investigated promptly. ?Any sort of vandalism to property is deplorable,? he said.
