AN ANGRY Sheffield dad has complained his two-year-old daughter was left terrified after being shouted at by a driver on a city centre bus.
Kevan Smith, aged 51, of Manor, said he was appalled at the treatment of his youngest child Olivia on the FreeBee service.
Mr Smith said he was shouted and sworn at when he confronted the driver.
He also claimed the driver was not paying attention to the road ahead.
Mr Smith said: "My wife Violet and I, along with our youngest daughter Olivia, were travelling from Moorfoot to the Markets.
"Olivia was sitting with me at the front of the bus and when we arrived in Pond Street she decided she wanted to sit on her own on the opposite side behind the driver.
"I stopped her from doing this and both Violet and I told her she could not run around on the bus. Then the driver took it upon himself to bawl at her: 'You are not running around on my bus, it's not a playground so sit down'. She was terrified.
"I said to the driver he should leave me to control my child and in future could he aim any remarks to me and not directly to a young child.
"He continued to argue with me as we left Pond Street and was shouting at me while looking into his passenger mirror inside the bus and paying no attention to the road in front of him.
"I pointed out what he was doing constituted driving without due care and attention.
"As we got off the bus at the old court building in Castle Street, I politely asked the driver if anything like this happened again I would appreciate it if he spoke to me and not shout at my child."
Mr Smith said he was then sworn at – as he was holding Olivia in his arms.
"I was very offended. Plenty of passengers heard him both on the bus and at the bus stop. I would like to point out I never swore at him,"
he added.
Mr Smith complained about his treatment to TM Travel, which runs the FreeBee service, Sheffield Council cabinet member for transport Coun Ian Auckland and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.
The driver was temporarily removed from duty pending a disciplinary hearing.
Paul Harding, operations director for Halfway-based TM Travel, said: "The type of behaviour described is not acceptable, and will not be tolerated by our company.
"Relevant action has been taken and a warning recorded on the driver's file.
"I feel the incident has now been fully dealt with."
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