A Springfield mother claims her young sons were subjected to "anxiety" by an Eastern National driver who had overcharged them.

Mrs Debbie Robinson, of Beaulieu Park, said Luke, 13, and Joshua, 11, complained to the driver after being charged adult fares on the way home from the pictures last Wednesday evening.

"He grunted at them and they became very anxious and called me on their mobile phone to meet them at the bus stop, which is something they would never do unless they were very worried, " said Mrs Robinson.

As the No 52 First bus approached the stop near their home Mrs Robinson began waving to her sons, but the driver drove straight past, stopping about 400 metres down the road.

Mrs Robinson said: "I was in a real panic so I chased the bus and managed to bang on the side of it. The driver stopped and my boys jumped out and ran towards me as fast as they could."

"They told me that the driver had grunted at them when they complained about having to pay adult fares and did not offer a refund. He was surly and rude and frightened them by his attitude."

A spokesman for Eastern National said: "We have visited Mrs Robinson and the problems she recounted have been amicably resolved."

Published Friday August 9, 2002

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