IN A new initiative, students from a Bexley school have come face-to-face with bus drivers and transport officials to debate the issue of school bus services.

A 200-strong audience of boys from Beths Grammar School in Hartford Road, Bexley Village, were able to hear the debate between students and an expert panel of representatives from Transport for London, police, local bus companies and drivers.

Members of the school council questioned the panel on problems such as bus arrival times, buses not stopping and the perception of drivers.

In return, members of the panel explained the cost implications of running additional buses, how changing bus times would affect other schools on the same routes and how behaviour at bus stops can affect the driver’s timetable.

The students have been promised feedback on all the points they raised.

One of the panel, Inspector Carol Marsh from Bexley police’s Safer Transport Team said: “The pupils raised some interesting questions, from ‘why do bus drivers never smile?’ to ‘can the bus timetable be changed?’ “It was a useful exercise which allowed for frank and open discussion.”