A MOTHER ordered to get off a bus because her child was crying has slammed industry bosses who have supported the driver's decision.
Single mother of three Sian Whelpton is demanding the driver and bus company apologise and admit they were in the wrong.
And she says she is "fuming" after the Confederation of Passenger Transport in Wales, a lobby group for the bus industry, backed the bus driver.
Miss Whelpton said: "I just can't believe these people, they are living in the Victorian era, not in the 21st century. Children are children. I tried my best to stop him from crying but sometimes you just can't do anything."
Miss Whelpton, 28, was returning from Newport to her home in Elm Drive, Risca, when the driver of the Glyn Williams bus stopped the vehicle, and told her: "I've had a gutsful of your kid."
Miss Whelpton was then asked to leave the bus with her three children, eight- year-old Jay, and two-year-old twins Kai and Natalya, and her six bags of shopping.
But John Pockett, a spokesman for the Confederation of Passenger Transport in Wales, said bus drivers had the same responsibility as train drivers and pilots and have to consider passenger safety.
He says it is up to the driver to decide what is a distraction. The Pontllanfraith-based bus company have already backed their driver.
Miss Whelpton said: "How they can compare it to a plane I don't know - it's not the same at all. If the bus driver is that easily distracted then perhaps they shouldn't be driving at all."
Miss Whelpton told the Argus she was disappointed by the attitudes of industry bosses. She said: "Their comments really don't say anything good about our society. I have to use a bus as I have no other transport, but I'm nervous now., Where are they going to draw the line?"
* Since our exclusive story on Mrs Whelpton last week, media all over the UK have followed our lead.
A reporter from the morning programme GMTV was in Risca today to interview the mum-of-three about her ordeal.
Afterwards, presenter John Stapleton asked a psychologist about the incident - who was horrified about the way Ms Whelpton had been treated.
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