A COUNTY councillor will try to change the timetable after travelling on a bus crammed full of school children.

Coun Derek Prodger, who is cabinet member for environment, stood with children on the 44a Powick to Dyson Perrins School in Malvern, today and immediately pledged to remedy the situation.

The idea for the bus ride was put forward by county councillor for Powick Tom Wells at the weekend after the Worcester News highlighted the problems school children were experiencing.

Folloing the journey Mr Prodger said: "I joined Tom Wells at 8am for the 8.15am bus to Dyson Perrins. It was crowded and what worried me is how difficult it was for the children standing up, especially those with musical instruments. It was very uncomfortable."

He said that following the journey he will straightaway see if an earlier service, which runs 20 minutes before can be amended to help.

He said: "There is spare capacity on the earlier bus. I will now talk to the passenger transport officer to see if we can run that bus later to help the schoolchildren."

Mr Wells said he was grateful that Mr Prodger had taken up the invitation to travel on the bus.

He said: "I thank Derek Prodger for coming to see at first hand the conditions these children have to put up with. I hope a practical solution can be found as the county council has a duty of care to get children to school safely."

Mr Wells also invited parents of youngsters travelling both to Dyson Perrins and The Chase to attend a meeting at Powick Parish Hall to discuss their concerns about the bus services with transport officers from Worcestershire County Council. The meeting takes place at 6pm on Friday.