Northampton woman criticises Stagecoach for making her feel like she was 'not wanted' as a trainee bus driver because she is a mum

A Northampton woman has criticised Stagecoach for making her feel like she was “not wanted” as a trainee bus driver because of her family commitments as a mother.

The 47-year-old woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, also says Stagecoach paid her 10 weeks' worth of wages in a four-week period which has left her with issues with HMRC, subsequently leaving her unable to pay her rent.

Stagecoach has said it will investigate and has promised to support her. The firm also said it was sorry that the woman took the decision to resign.

The woman was at the final stages of her trainee bus driver course at the end of August before she took four days off to tend for her sick teenage children.

She says that after she tended to her children, Stagecoach started to question her asking whether she was prepared to have a Government bond of £1,600 – which paid for the course and is repaid by two years of service – 'hanging over her’.

She said: "When I came back they said, 'because you've had so many days off, is it worth you continuing? Because once you've passed your driving you'll have this bond over your neck. Do you really want this hanging over your head?'

"I thought, 'I've committed myself, I've passed my driving' but they made me feel like they didn't really want me to be there.”

She added: "I was made to feel like I was not wanted because I had commitments. I wanted the job. I wanted to commit myself because that would have been my life. I'm 47. I would have got free bus passes for my children, a pension."

The woman said she had also been having issues with pay throughout her course initially over her first payments and then, when she quit the course, she says Stagecoach paid her 10 weeks' worth of wages - a total of around £3,000 - in a four-week period. This meant she was subject to emergency tax.

She said: "I went to Stagecoach and said they've made a massive mistake by putting a whole 10 weeks' of earning into four weeks, which makes it look like I don't need Universal Credit.

"This has now left me with no money, my rent hasn't been paid, and I'm now in a position where I'm having to sort it out myself with HMRC. It's really bad," she said.

A spokesman for Stagecoach Midlands said they will be getting in touch with the woman to help her.

The spokesman said: "We're sorry that [the woman] took the decision to resign before completing her training with us.

"We welcome people from all backgrounds, and have a strong focus on encouraging more females to join our business as part of our diversity and inclusion plans.

"We are pleased with the increasing number of female drivers that have joined us following our dedicated recruitment campaigns to encourage women to consider a career in bus driving either on a full or part-time basis.

"We will be getting in touch with [the woman] to help with the issues she has had."