Young adults in Longtown are being failed by Cumberland Council who have a contract with Stagecoach to transport approx 140 children age 11 to 16 to school.

The contract with service double decker buses which don't require fitted seat belts, is being used in a rural area.

The young adults in question are able to move about the decks freely and are at risk of serious harm if the buses were involved in an accident.

Following these buses home they exceed 50mph, with the added height of a double decker this is an accident waiting to happen.

Of course the other side of this contract is Stagecoach constantly fail to arrive on time, if at all and then do not communicate issues to parents or the school. This is a serious safeguarding issue, some children's parents will already be on their way to work leaving them nowhere to go.

So many issues have been reported to the local authority who state there's nothing to be done and fudge over it.

Longtown requires a safe service for it's young adults as they have no choice where to attend school due to the closure of Lochinvar several years ago.

4.2.25 Bus is broken down at Sandysike, kids are standing in the pouring rain. The level of breakdowns suggests the buses are not fit for purpose.

11.02.25 Copied from a parent post on social media.

Kids are now being refused travel to school, because of the new pass rules, yet Stagecoach staff are telling me that I’m a liar and kids aren’t being refused travel! You couldn’t make this up! 

Anyone else having their kids refused travel? Oh and it’s a double decker and single decker from now on, even though they can’t fit all the kids on.