School seat belt plea in Scottish Parliament

It is hoped that, as a result, Scotland will be given its own

powers to control bus safety.

The School Bus Safety Group was set up to campaign for safety

improvements.

Its spokesman is Ron Beaty, from Aberdeenshire, whose grand-daughter is confined to a wheelchair following an accident as she left a school bus. Others in the group have lost children in accidents.

"If the new powers are approved by the UK parliament, Scotland could set its own standards for buses used on school contracts,"

explained Ron.

"These could include a ban on the use of double-deckers, a requirement that vehicles have seat belts or CCTV, and even the introduction of on-board supervisors.

"In fact anything that is thought to increase bus safety."

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