HOW nice that a school bus service between Blackburn and Darwen has been saved by mother-of-six Ann Dunne, a volunteer conductor operating a two-strikes-and-you're-out policy against troublemakers.
How nice, too, that over in Rossendale a pilot scheme has been launched to improve behaviour on school buses to and from Fearns High School in Stacksteads.
It entails the introduction of a good behaviour contract between pupils, schools and bus operators.
I suspect there may be a good many loutish school kids laughing up their sleeves at this wheedling contract idea.
Yet, none would be smirking or requiring the services of someone like Mrs Dunne, if the certainty of bad behaviour on school buses earning a public caning at morning assembly still prevailed.
The statement by Blackburn Transport that they could do with 30 more 'conductors' like Ann Dunne on school buses eloquently says how much discipline has been let go at the hands of present-day softness.
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