Bus passes for 11-15 year olds

As it happens a policewoman was on board although she didn't do anything other than chat to one of the pupils.

This of course costs money doesn't it and she could be usefully employed elsewhere.

I think the best idea is to cancel the bus passes. OK if they live miles away from school they should have one but not when it is just a walk away.

DD loves her 12-mile bus journey to school. She says it's quiet in the morning because people are still asleep or doing their homework, but it's noisy in the afternoon. She loves the noise! It's not a public service bus.

When the usual driver retired recently, the kids gave him presents. He 'engaged' with them – used to stop at certain shops where some of the older ones could buy their breakfast, so DD says – and tolerated their noise. They loved him in return.

Kids are noisy. Always have been. And they've just had six hours of school. Of course they erupt when they're let out.

I used to be the person to whom the complaints came about behaviour on buses. The company providing the private coaches for events etc also complained. It is dreadful. We resorted to having a member of staff riding shotgun which helped. A robust response from other passengers seems to work but I think many people are afraid to tackle bad behaviour by the youth these days for a number of reasons. But, without being defeatist, it isn't new. In our expat days over 30 years ago the DS travelled to their very expensive international school on the school bus. It was known as 'Hell on wheels' to all the parents. And back in England, one DS begged not to be sent to one of the very highly thought of local comps after a ten minute bus journey with a bus full of pupils from that school. If drivers successfully make the worst behaved get off the bus, the parents go to the press or the law and the driver is in trouble. I suppose what I am saying is that collective action is the only way of dealing with it.

Makes you realise what a teacher deals with every time they walk down the corridor - hundreds of teenagers . They have such a lot of energy.
But I agree - 25 minutes walk to and from school no problem when i was a lass.

Maybe a case of the nanny state.
Not safe for the little darlings to walked these days with increase in traffic and crime