Pupils are being left stranded at bus stops or packed “like sardines” into overcrowded buses.

Furious parents say their children are forced to stand and cling onto each other while travelling to Canterbury on buses which are virtually full by the time they leave Whitstable and Herne Bay.

Other pupils - many of them travelling on their own for the first time - are left at the side of the road while packed buses drive past without stopping.

Dr Aga Gordon says her 11-year-old daughter, who takes the 916 or 917 from Ye Olde Beverlie, has just started at Simon Langton Girls Grammar School in Old Dover Road.

“It’s only been two weeks and so far the bus is always late, it’s overcrowded so they have to stand up all the time, and they can’t hold anything so they hold onto each other,” she said.

“There have been two incidents; one where she wasn’t allowed on the bus so she had to get another one to the bus station and then walk.

“She was very late home and she’s concerned about walking through part of the town on her own. The second is when she waited for the 8.05am bus and the 8.17am but they didn’t come.

“She was with a friend and they called her friend’s mum who drove them to school. The bus had actually turned up at 8.25am and they got told off for being late.

“My daughter is very responsible and it is very stressful for her. It would take about 40 minutes for her to walk to school from where we live in Forty Acres.”

Another parent says his daughter has just started at the school and has so far been late more times than not, despite her leaving the house at 7.15am.

Langton staff have written to parents acknowledging the issues, saying they are are in talks with the bus firm.

A spokesman said: “We are aware of buses being full before they leave Whitstable or Herne Bay in the morning, students arriving at school late despite using the school buses, the 916 bus not stopping at the school in the afternoon, students failing to get on buses due to over-subscription in the afternoon, amongst other issues.”

Stagecoach spokesman Matthew Maytum said: “There’s always a hive of activity during the first couple of weeks of the new school year as we discover how many students are travelling from each area to the various schools, and students familiarise with the journey options available to them.

“KCC issues bus passes to students and they continue to receive applications right up to September, so we have to plan our bus services on the basis of what worked for the previous school year. We can only provide a limited number of buses directly from any neighbourhood to a specific school, so we encourage students to use the many parallel services available.”

Have you experienced issues? Comment below or email kentishgazette@thekmgroup.co.uk.