Children in tears over Sutton bus route delays and cancellations

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 2 Nov, 15:22 · Archive

Schoolchildren waiting more than an hour for buses on the Sutton to Kingston 213 route are being left in tears and facing detentions.

Schoolchildren using the 213 bus route between Sutton and Kingston are reportedly struggling to get to school, with families claiming packed buses pass stops without picking them up and services are turned around or taken out of service when running late. According to a petition sent to the Mayor of London and Transport for London, children can wait more than an hour during which two or three buses may pass without stopping.

Younger pupils have struggled particularly with the uncertainty. The petition claims: 'Year 7 children are becoming distressed, and some have been reduced to tears by the stress of trying to get to school.' Some pupils have received detentions for arriving late despite delays being outside their control. The problems are affecting children's sleep and education, with families saying they must leave home much earlier to increase their chances of boarding a bus.

Parents report that leaving earlier means children lose time on homework, hobbies and family life. Some families have been forced to drive their children to school themselves when buses fail to arrive or are too full, disrupting their own working hours and adding more vehicles to the roads. The petition calls on authorities to intervene to resolve the ongoing disruptions.

How it is being reported

• Children 'left in tears' and facing detentions over Sutton bus 'chaos'Children have reportedly been left in tears and waiting more than an hour for buses as parents demand urgent action over a Sutton bus route.Croydon Guardian · 2 Nov, 15:00
• Children 'left in tears' and facing detentions over Sutton bus 'chaos'Children have reportedly been left in tears and waiting more than an hour for buses as parents demand urgent action over a Sutton bus route.This Is Local London · 2 Nov, 15:00

In this story: Sutton · Kingston · Transport for London · Mayor of London

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log