A MUM has won her battle for escorts on council transport to a special needs school after speaking out about her fears.

Abigail Collins was worried for her daughter Amelia when she learnt there would be no escort this term on the bus to Kingsdown School, for children with special needs, in Snakes Lane, Southend.

Amelia, four, has the 1p36 syndrome, which is caused by a deleted chromosome and means she cannot talk, struggles with co-ordination, has panic attacks and has development delay.

Miss Collins, who claims the transport failed to turn up on the first day of term and left her daughter stranded, made numerous calls to try and reinstate the escorts.

After the Echo contacted Essex County Council the escort was put back on the route, but the mum-of-two is continuing the fight as she says the new transport is also too small for all the children’s equipment.

The 28-year-old, of High Road, Rayleigh, said: “I wasn’t made aware there were no escorts, I wasn’t made aware they had changed the contractor.

“It has been absolutely disgusting, my daughter has progressed so well since she has been at that school, she is nowactually learning to sign.

“When the escort was there, she knew the escort, as they were part of the school, and she had got used to them and was quite happy to go on the bus.

“It was a lot of hard work to get her into the school, then we got her in and it has been an absolute Godsend.”

Miss Collins is relieved an escort is now back on the route, but believes the vehicle needs to be a larger than the current people carrier.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said: “We can confirm transport was in place for Amelia from Kingsdown School on September 9, howeveramember of school staff advised the driver that her mother, Ms Collins, would collect Amelia.

“Information has been provided to parents with details about their children’s transport arrangements but, following recent discussions, a passenger assistant (escort) is now in place on the vehicle transporting Amelia.

“We will follow up any subsequent concerns about space in the vehicle for equipment.

“We can further confirm there has been no budget cut or decision to remove passenger assistant provision in the context of this case, and the council will continue to engage with the school as appropriate to ensure the transport arrangements are suitable.”