Train company MD apologises for stranding schoolchildren

By PRSD, on Monday, February 15, 2010

Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross (he who panders to the local paper, where you probably wouldn’t find this story) has secured an apology from the managing director of First Great Western, Mark Hopwood, about the schoolchildren were stranded on Torre station for two hours.

Mr Hopwood accepted that leaving the children on the platform for such a long length of time (many of them under 16 years) was ‘unacceptable’ and has said he will do everything he can to make sure this does not happen again.

The delay had been due to a mechanical failure on one of the trains which meant that some services were cancelled, but he admits that road transport should have been provided.

Richard said: “Stranded on an unmanned station meant the children had no way of knowing what was going on. It was only through worried parents ringing them on their mobiles that they got to know what was happening. I welcome Mr Hopwood’s apologies and hope this situation will not be repeated.”

Last November Mr Younger-Ross met with First Great Western’s Managing Director to discuss a number of local concerns regarding school services, one being overcrowding on school trains to and from Torbay.

The MP has been informed that First Great Western are close to an agreement with the Department for Transport that will see the class 142 fleet replaced by Class 50 trains which can carry a lot more passengers.

First Great Western has been working hard to improve its service to young people. In December the company agreed to turn off the Mosquito device it uses at Teignmouth Station – its indiscriminate use was targetting children and young people throughout the day, including the school run.

(from a press release)