A HEADTEACHER is demanding a swift improvement from a bus company which is leaving pupils stranded and costing staff valuable time.

Sandbach School head Peter Wiles claims that bus firm First often keeps pupils waiting for more than 30 minutes to get home. This has left parents worried and forced staff to supervise the children, causing them to miss important meetings.

The firm blames roadworks at Crewe and says there has been an improvement.

But Mr Wiles has rejected the excuse and says more needs to be done.

He said: 'Individual buses are arriving late frequently and up to 80 boys are left standing outside waiting. This means staff have to stand around and supervise them, because we can't just leave a crowd of young lads on the pavement.

'I know parents are becoming worried due to their children arriving home much later than expected.'

He added: 'Blaming the delays on the roadworks at Crewe is simply not good enough. I don't think they are leaving early enough to get here on time.

'I want to see an improvement very quickly. First are paid to deliver a service which they are just not providing at the moment, and it is most unsatisfactory.'

Cheshire County Council is holding talks with the company in a bid to address the situation. Mr Wiles has admitted that the problem has eased in recent weeks, but says it is still not up to scratch.

The £4m Crewe Green Link Road is designed to ease congestion on South Cheshire's traffic-clogged roads. It will link the A500 Shavington bypass, which opened last May, with the A534 at the western end of the Haslington bypass.

Work got under way in April and is programmed for completion in the autumn.

A spokesman for First, which has a base at Crewe, pointed out there has been no reports of delays for more than six weeks. He said everything is being done to work with the county council to reach a solution.

The spokesman said: 'The problems are being caused by major roadworks at Crewe Green, where a roundabout is being altered. There has also been roadworks at Nantwich Road for months and it is pandemonium.

'The bus has to fight all the way through this congestion, but the longest delay has only been 20 minutes. It is certainly not in a bus company's interest to have a vehicle sitting in traffic. This costs extra money in fuel and inconveniences passengers.'