NATIONAL COALITION OF SCHOOL BUS SAFETY NEWS 2005

GREEN LIGHT FOR SEATBELTS FOR SCHOOL BUSES

Warwickshire, England
Tuesday 31st May, 2005

"I would like to reassure parents that school transport is already very safe to use. This is making it even safer"
Cllr John Burton, cabinet member for Schools

Members of Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet have voted to phase in seatbelts on all buses used by school children in Warwickshire that currently do not have them.

Seatbelts are to be fitted on all buses used by school children in Warwickshire.

Members of Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet have voted to phase in seatbelts to buses that currently do not have them.

Detailed costs and a timetable for change will now be drawn up by officials.

It is planned that buses used by primary school children will be the first to be converted.

Further work will be needed on the details of a phased programme for school transport used by secondary school pupils to have seatbelts fitted as and when the financial resources are available.

The recommendations were made following a review into Home School Transport by a working party of councillors earlier this year.

The investigation found that approximately 9,450 pupils under the age of 16 travel on home to school transport in Warwickshire, with a little under half of them currently using vehicles fitted with seatbelts.

Of these, 1,437 children are of primary age, with 465 using buses that do not have belts.

The estimated cost of putting seatbelts on buses for children of all ages is estimated to be just under £1 million.

Cllr John Burton, cabinet member for Schools, said: “I am pleased that we are making swift progress towards fulfilling one of our key manifesto commitments. It will take a little time to make the necessary changes but we have set the ball-rolling and can expect to see changes made to buses used by primary school children.

”I would like to reassure parents that school transport is already very safe to use. This is making it even safer. A costed programmed and timetable will now be produced to see these measures being implemented, and this will give added peace of mind to everyone using the service.”

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