Could this be another sign of over-investment in China, or the economy slowing down? A whole fleet of school buses, 52 to be exact, have been left abandoned at a lot in Wenling, Zhejiang Province. They’ve been sitting there, rotting, for a year because nobody is willing to buy them.

The buses were actually purchased by a group in Taizhou, Anhui Province for RMB 20 million. The group originally intended to start up a school bus company in Wenling, but the idea was abandoned after they realized nobody wanted the buses, according to the Yangtse Evening Report.

Since then, the buses have reportedly been used as “public bathrooms”.

It’s a shame the buses have been left unused, considering the dangers children face on their way to school. Public anger over lax safety standards reached its zenith after the deaths of 18 children in an accident in Gansu Province in November 2011. A total of 64 preschoolers had been crowded into a van with only nine seats when it crashed into an oncoming truck, also killing two adults.

Overcrowding was also cited in the deaths of 19 people, including 10 children, in an accident in October 2011.

As a result, local governments and schools were proud to show off their new school buses to address safety concerns. When a new series of school buses debuted in Chongming, Shanghai in February 2012, parent Zhang Zhongli expressed his confidence:

The new buses are sturdy enough that parents shouldn’t be worried about their children.

It’s unfortunate that more of these buses won’t be in operation.

Photos: Yangze Evening Reports, People’s Daily Online