A mother is demanding an apology from a bus company after its driver allegedly blamed her 12-year-old daughter for a collision involving a parked van. The incident took place on January 9 outside Lord Derby Academy in Huyton, where an Arriva bus struck the vehicle at a bus stop.
The Collision and Driver’s Reaction
Lyssa Storey had finished school early and waited for the 2:55 p.m. number nine bus to Liverpool on Seel Road. Due to a van and two cars blocking the bus stop, she stood in the road to signal the late-arriving service, which reached around 3:10 p.m.
Following the crash, the driver reportedly shouted at Lyssa, accusing her of causing the accident. This left the schoolgirl terrified and reluctant to use the route home.
Mother’s Frustration and Impact on Daughter
Kirsty Holland, 42, Lyssa’s mother, expressed outrage over the lack of an apology from Arriva. She described the company’s response as insufficient and called for the driver to acknowledge his mistake.
“She’s too intimidated to get that bus route home anymore,” Ms. Holland stated. “All I want is for him to hold his hands up, apologize, say ‘look, I was having a bad day and took it out on the wrong person.’ We’ve all done it.”
Ms. Holland stressed that no adult should address a child that way. The incident has made Lyssa anxious about attending school and using public transport, forcing her to take a longer route that adds 30 minutes to her journey. As a parent, Ms. Holland worries about her daughter’s safety during the extended commute.
“It terrified her; she doesn’t want to go to school because of him shouting at her,” Ms. Holland added. “He is an adult man, and the way he blamed her for him crashing the bus is not okay. All she did was put her hand out for a bus.”
She further noted, “The response is horrendous. People tried to blame my daughter—how is she to blame? Was she driving the bus? I just want an apology.”
Arriva’s Investigation
Arriva has initiated an investigation into the matter and scheduled a meeting with the driver. A spokesperson for Arriva Merseyside emphasized the company’s commitment to customer safety.
“Arriva takes the safety and wellbeing of our customers very seriously,” the representative said. “We are aware of the incident on the number 9 service on Friday, January 9, and the concerns raised by a customer’s family. The driver involved has been requested to attend a meeting, and all aspects of the incident are being carefully investigated.”
Due to confidentiality, Arriva declined to share further details on any actions against the driver.
