A £310,000 sensory bus for people with learning difficulties has been lying unused for almost three years – leading one councillor to brand the situation ‘a disgrace’.
The multi-sensory community bus, which belongs to Shropshire County Council, was originally taken off the road in 2006 because the only qualified HGV driver was on long-term sick leave, as reported by the Chronicle in April 2007.
But it has emerged the driver has since left without being replaced. Now the bus is being stored at Torton Bodies in Telford with staff due to inspect the vehicle on Monday before deciding their next step.
Staff at two council departments – the adult learning department and the passenger transport service – have been in discussions to determine which is responsible for the facility.
The news has enraged county councillor Alan Mosley, who has pledged to tackle the issue and find a swift resolution at the next meeting of the council’s economy and environment scrutiny panel, of which he is the chair.
Shirehall officials have said there were problems with the self-levelling device on the bus, and also claimed the bus had been used within the past three years but did not elaborate on this.
A number of therapies are available on the bus, which was introduced to help the elderly and people with learning difficulties attend day centres on a regular basis.
Councillor Mosley said: “The vehicle has been off the road for all this time and it seems to be because of internal difficulties that this has proved impossible to resolve – it’s a bureaucratic nightmare.
“I’m disgusted with it and I will be demanding that a report come to the next meeting of the economy and environment scruting panel. It’s a disgrace.”
Adrian Johnson, head of adults with learning disabilities services for the county council’s community services department, said: “As soon as these technical problems have been resolved the passenger transport service will put into action their operational plan to enable the vehicle to be used as soon as possible. In addition, a small working group has been set up by the community services scrutiny panel which wants to look at making the best possible use of the vehicle across the whole of the county.”
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