06 May 2005
Local education authorities in Wales might be required to spend more on school transport if proposals made by Welsh Assembly members are adopted.
The Education and Lifelong Learning committee this week issued recommendations intended to improve the safety of school transport and tackle poor pupil behaviour on buses.
These include the installation of closed-circuit television on all vehicles, the use of trained adult escorts, and the phasing out of older models, including double-decker buses.
In its May 3 report, the committee acknowledged that some of their recommendations would entail increased costs for bus operators and local authorities.
'These [costs] have not been quantified. Some of the committee's recommendations, for example staggering school hours, could result in savings. The Assembly government, when responding to this report, will need to consider the financial implications of those recommendations it accepts,' the report stated.
Welsh Education Minister Jane Davidson has yet to respond formally. She is required to respond in writing on or before June 14. An oral statement has to be made by June 21.
The education committee turned its attention to school transport following growing concerns about the safety of school buses.
The death in December 2002 of 12-year-old Stuart Cunningham-Jones in an accident at Ystradowen near Cowbridge led to a high-profile safety campaign calling for the installation of safety belts and an end to overcrowding – on some vehicles three pupils share a seat intended for two.
The assembly committee endorsed both these proposals.
It was also suggested that bus travel be made more pleasant for children, with more thought given to practical issues, such as storage space for sports bags and musical instruments.
The Assembly members also suggested that buses could be fitted with entertainment systems 'at relatively little cost'. They added: 'We feel that playing music might help to calm pupils and reduce misbehaviour.
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