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Bus drops off four-year-old alone Bus drops off four-year-old alone
(40 minutes later)
A bus company has apologised after dropping off a four-year-old boy alone half a mile from his stop in Bradford.A bus company has apologised after dropping off a four-year-old boy alone half a mile from his stop in Bradford.
Louis Key's grandmother, who was due to pick him up in Buttershaw on Tuesday, found the youngster trying to find his way home after crossing a busy road.Louis Key's grandmother, who was due to pick him up in Buttershaw on Tuesday, found the youngster trying to find his way home after crossing a busy road.
Metro, West Yorkshire's public transport authority, said child safety procedures had not been followed.Metro, West Yorkshire's public transport authority, said child safety procedures had not been followed.
"It is up to us to make sure this never happens again," said director of corporate services Sheena Pickersgill."It is up to us to make sure this never happens again," said director of corporate services Sheena Pickersgill.
"We would like to apologise to the family on behalf of Metro and the bus operator.""We would like to apologise to the family on behalf of Metro and the bus operator."
Louis was travelling on a My Bus service set up three years ago in West Yorkshire, where drivers are supposed to have a tightly controlled register of every child's route.Louis was travelling on a My Bus service set up three years ago in West Yorkshire, where drivers are supposed to have a tightly controlled register of every child's route.
Drivers of the distinctive yellow buses are given precise details of each child's travel patterns, including at which stops they should be collected and dropped off.Drivers of the distinctive yellow buses are given precise details of each child's travel patterns, including at which stops they should be collected and dropped off.
The Metro website says: "Thanks to Metro's unique pupil registration and hotline scheme, which ensures drivers have picked up all the pupils they are expecting and that all pupils are met by a parent or guardian at their stop on the way home, parents have been happy to wave off children as young as four or five on our buses."The Metro website says: "Thanks to Metro's unique pupil registration and hotline scheme, which ensures drivers have picked up all the pupils they are expecting and that all pupils are met by a parent or guardian at their stop on the way home, parents have been happy to wave off children as young as four or five on our buses."
Louis Key crossed the busy main road on his own
Louis' grandmother, Mavis Cull, of The Crescent, Buttershaw, described how she and her daughter had been waiting for her grandson at the local bus stop as he made his way back from the nursery at Wibsey Primary School.Louis' grandmother, Mavis Cull, of The Crescent, Buttershaw, described how she and her daughter had been waiting for her grandson at the local bus stop as he made his way back from the nursery at Wibsey Primary School.
"We were waiting at the stop and he was dropped off at the stop before, which is quite a way off," she said."We were waiting at the stop and he was dropped off at the stop before, which is quite a way off," she said.
"The bus driver had asked him if this was his stop and he'd said yes and got off."The bus driver had asked him if this was his stop and he'd said yes and got off.
"But there was no-one there to pick him up. The driver should have kept him on the bus.""But there was no-one there to pick him up. The driver should have kept him on the bus."
She and her daughter found Lewis about 10 minutes later walking on the opposite side of the road from where he'd been dropped off.She and her daughter found Lewis about 10 minutes later walking on the opposite side of the road from where he'd been dropped off.
"He was trying to find his way to us but didn't know where he was," said Mrs Cull."He was trying to find his way to us but didn't know where he was," said Mrs Cull.
"It was a very busy time of day with all the school traffic and he'd had to cross the road on his own."It was a very busy time of day with all the school traffic and he'd had to cross the road on his own.
"We were all very upset and as soon as we got him home he started crying.""We were all very upset and as soon as we got him home he started crying."
Metro spokeswoman Sheena Pickersgill said bus drivers were "rigorously" trained in procedures to ensure that children were never dropped off anywhere without an adult to pick them up.Metro spokeswoman Sheena Pickersgill said bus drivers were "rigorously" trained in procedures to ensure that children were never dropped off anywhere without an adult to pick them up.
She said all drivers had a register showing which children got off at each stop and if no adult was there to collect them the driver should report back to the Metro call centre.She said all drivers had a register showing which children got off at each stop and if no adult was there to collect them the driver should report back to the Metro call centre.
"There are procedures which were not followed in this instance and we are very concerned about that," she added."There are procedures which were not followed in this instance and we are very concerned about that," she added.