Notts bus company assures parents 'wonky' school bus is 'safe'

Pictures have emerged of a Freeways Coaches school bus which appears to be lopsided, having had an accident while out on the school run on March 26.

Parents had issued concerns about the bus, saying it was "unsafe" and that they felt "uncomfortable" letting their children use it for their school journey.

However bosses at the bus company say it was a "minor blip" caused by an accident on the road, reassuring parents that it was repaired "within 45 minutes" and that it is safe to use once again.

Nick Lee, chief engineer at Freeways, said: "The bus ran over a piece of metal on the road and caused airbags to go off.

"Because the bus was moving it made the air pass throughout it, press the suspension and cause the bus to go lob-sided.

"I was called immediately after the bus broke down and was in there as soon as possible.

"Buses go through a tilt test before they are deemed roadworthy, where they are strapped to steel and tilted.

"They have to reach a certain degree before they would tip over and there is no possible way the bus would have tipped over.

"The problem we had is that we can't legally keep the children on the bus in that situation and we broke down six minutes away from the school, so we arranged for another bus to come along, that bus was taken back to the depot and repaired within 45 minutes.

"Parents have got nothing to worry about, if I considered the bus to be unsafe I would not allow it to go back on the road again."

The bus was pictured in Annesley by mum Beckie Dickens, who called the issue "appalling".

She said: "How on earth can a school allow a bus company with buses in this condition take children to and from school? My boys are going on bikes tomorrow.

"Freeway coaches Nottingham are an appalling service unprofessional drivers and now unsafe buses! Children told to sit on one side to try to even the bus out."

Speaking on the criticism, Nick added: "Our buses might not look amazing and they might not be perfect, but it is not worth us paying for upgrades to something which is used for just two hours per day."

IN OTHER NEWS:

Labour select Andy Abrahams as third mayoral candidate

Murder charge dropped against mum of Mansfield toddler

Mansfield MP Ben Bradley tells TV's Krishnan Guru-Murthy to 'grow up' in Brexit row

Firefighters battle large grass fire in Mansfield through the night

Homeless Ollerton man has promised bungalow snatched away by council