Wellington bus drivers have been asking students to get off public buses and walk, so that adults can have seats.

Some students say they feel they're being treated like second-class citizens.

South Wellington Intermediate School (SWIS) student Honey Bradford, 12, said it wasn't fair.

"We are the public, and we're paying just like everyone else."

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Many students at a Wellington City Council engagement event on Friday morning said the buses often drove right past them, even when they weren't full.

Bradford said they felt like they were "low priority" compared to older high school students.

People would moan that SWIS students "took up the whole bus", she said.

AMBER-LEIGH WOOLF/STUFF South Wellington Intermediate School students Honey Bradford and Ashley McCloy, both 12, say they're sick of seeing students being treated poorly on Wellington's public buses.

"We feel bad when some kids can't get on."

Student Bella Das, 12, said often the bus doors would open, but close again when students were ready to get on.

"We would take up less room than the person who was allowed on the bus."

Student Kate Andrews, 12, said she was also asked to get off when it wasn't even her stop.

Councillor Sarah Free, who holds the Wellington City Council's public transport, cycling and walking portfolio, said it was appalling.

"Some of these things that came out about the inadequacy of the bus service from the students are really concerning."

MONIQUE FORD/STUFF Students have said buses drive right past them, even when they're not even full.

A Metlink spokesman said they had not heard of students being asked to get off buses.

"We have not heard of this happening and apologise to the children concerned.

"Drivers should not be asking anyone to get off the bus or show preference for one passenger type over another.

"If we have specific details we can investigate and follow up with necessary actions."

AMBER-LEIGH WOOLF/STUFF SWIS students at the council-led engagement event on Friday morning shared many concerns about buses being late, buses driving past them, and drivers asking them to get off when it got too full for adults.

Student Ashley McCloy, 12, said she and many other students wanted their own bus, so they could avoid public transport entirely.

Not all students took public buses to school.

Student Blake Shepherd, 12, said he would sometimes cycle, but drivers needed to take more care.

"Bikers have as much right to be on the road. Drivers are rude to me but I am going my fastest ... and I'm doing my best."

Student Alice Bolton, 12, said she would push her bike on the footpath between Island Bay and Berhampore where the road felt too busy and unsafe.

But although it's legal to push a bike on a footpath, Bolton said she had been yelled at for taking up footpath space.

SUPPLIED The South Wellington Intermediate Students were asked to share their thoughts transport in the suburbs of Berhampore, Newtown and Mt Cook, as part of the council's Newtown Connections engagement project.

South Wellington Intermediate School principal Traci Liddall said to make students get off and walk was ridiculous.

"They are fare-paying customers, like everyone else, and they have the right to be on that bus like anyone else."

Some bus drivers were fantastic and went out of their way for students, she said.

But there should be a standard for how people were treated on the bus, students and adults alike, she said.