First Bus apologises after driver refuses entry to Doncaster schoolboy, 13, with autism

Rhys Gillespie, 13, who attends XP. East School and has autism, was left in tears following the incident at about 3pm on Friday, 20 November.

The company blocked his card after it was previously declined twice because he didn’t have enough funds in his account due to being charged a £2 fare rather than 80 pence – meaning payment was refused when he tried to catch the first of two buses home.

He was then refused entry, despite previously being allowed on board.

Stood at the side of the road and without a working mobile phone, Rhys called his mum Stacey through his iPad, who topped up his card only for it to be declined again on the next service.

Stacey, 32, from Skellow, said: “The thing I’m most irate about is the fact that they actually left him, surely they have a duty of care?

"I just think the whole thing is disgusting. He was really upset on Friday and he’s not that kind of child.”

Thankfully, the second driver allowed him to board the bus – but the youngster arrived home two hours later than usual.

Stacey, who works as a commercial plant coordinator, added: "When he got to town he was crying. I’m so angry about it.

"He’s only getting the bus because I have to work from home. I need to feel safe that he can get home.”

Rob Hughes, operations director at First South Yorkshire said: “I would like to apologise for the misunderstanding when a young person was refused travel when trying to board a bus to get home after school, it is certainly not our policy to refuse travel to a child even if there is a discrepancy with the payment process at the time of boarding.

"We take all matters such as this very seriously and after undertaking an investigation into the allegation, the driver of the bus involved has been interviewed and the appropriate action taken to ensure it doesn’t happen again. We will be contacting the parents of the child involved directly, in relation to why the card being used was declined by the ticket machine”.