I have removed this blog about the bus driver.

Its done its job, its raised the safety issue again about the few bus drivers who do not understand that their job is also to protect school pupils on the school run, children under their charge.

These are the few bus drivers that wilfully disreguard any safety advice given to them by their employers,as in dont care anyway!
Then spit their dummies out when some one has the gall to tell them they are putting lives at risk.

By also disreguarding their companies policy on safety, to use hazards lights & to remove the safety sign when pupils are not on board.

To those bus drivers & bus operators who do ensure that safety on their bus is paramount, that do take the time to ensure the correct use of hazard lights & to simply remove the sign when not carrying pupils.
You have our grateful thanks, & i am sure the thanks of all parents whose children use school transport.

I may add this post has not being removed due to any legal threats ,we have not in anyway been forced to remove it, it's simply done its job, meantime!!
I may add this from Carla Oldham "As for loosing people sympathy....ive never wanted sympathy " none of us have.

We simply need a cure ensuring no other family goes through this!

Hearing the news of the school bus crash which claimed the young life of Natasha paton makes me so sad and yet very angry.
Firstly i've always said if a school bus has to publish "we will try to run today" then they shouldnt be doing it!

When the weather is bad i refuse to let my children go to school on the school bus if i dont think its safe to do so.
When i lost Robyn i knew id hear about things like this time and time again, it rips me apart every time, knowing how Natashas parents will feel is something i shouldnt have to know.

My heart goes out to them, Natasha is someone they will never replace, never see again, same as me with Robyn.

Then we have some idiot like the prime minister Gordon Brown saying how "sorry he is" and that all is being done to make school bus travel more safer!!!

Absolute rubbish! he really doesnt give a dam about any parent who feel this pain, its all part of his job to look good.
yet here is a man who sadly lost a child, but doesnt back school bus safety.

I have a letter to prove that!.
When will people listen?
When will young lives on school bus safety be taken seriously?.
Why on gods earth did this driver let this happen, oh sure hes got to live with it as well, but does it really come down to "if he didnt do the job he'd have no pay that day".

Makes you wonder just how can bus operators,councils, and the Prime Minister take's our childrens lives so lightly.

Comment:
I know how dangerous school buses can be, a friend of mine had his arm crushed when he fell under the wheel of the bus. Thankfully he made a full recovery.
I grew up beside Banchory, Aberdeenshire and travelled to school by bus for 13 years.

I have since moved to Canada and I have to say that the system here is great.
The buses are equipped with safety guards which allow the driver to see where kids are crossing in front of the bus.

The buses also have flashing red lights, when these flash, it is illegal to pass the bus, drivers who do face very heavy fines.

Maybe this is something you can fight for in your campaign.
I wish you all the best and hope that the governments listen for a change.

Sent from


Kind Regards

Thank you for posting a comment linking us to this website on our local paper thread about an incident that happened on 11 & 16 year old daughters' school bus on Monday. The double-decker bus slid off the road in the snow. Nothing major as it transpired, but potentially lethal as the country lane the bus was trying to negotiate has ditches on either side and the passengers thought that they were going into one. The road was completely untreated, completely white, icey, with big ridges of snow in sections. The bus had been cancelled due to the snow the previous days, but as service had been resumed I assumed that the roads had been checked to be suitable. The bus company have told me that "In the circumstances, I cannot accept your view that we put the safety of the children at risk. As I have said the incident was actually very minor, the driver is a professional, and it is not practical to 'check the condition' of every road before running a service along it as you suggest."

Reading this site it brings home how lucky we are that our children are so safe, and I am truly sorry for the poor parents who weren't so lucky.

Carla's story has reminded me to enjoy every second with our precious children. Thank you for being so proactive and helping others.

My Grandson who is still 4 years at the moment is at Bridge of Weir Primary school in Renfrewshire he has been getting the bus to and from school and everything has been fine up until today.

He gets a mini bus number 3 and has had the same driver until today, the buses line up in order and he gets on the 3rd bus but today there was a different driver to take him home the buses were lined up 1 3 2, he was confused and walked home alone for 2 miles.

We have an investigation going on with the council and the school as to why he was alLowed to walk off alone and he had to cross busy roads, his mum Charlene my daughter was distraught when she met the bus and he wasnt on it.

Thankfully she met him as she was on her way to the school there are so many things that could have happened, but is anyone going to hold their hands up and take ownership of this problem ,i doubt it

Ms Oldham,

I know it is sometime since you emailed me about your campaigns. I am a father myself with two sons not a lot younger than your daughter was when her fate so tragically took her from you.
My sympathies are with you, and I know that no words anyone can offer will ever heal your pain, nor time ever numb it.

I have forwarded your email to EVERY driving instructor in my area (West Lothian and Edinburgh), as well as to the entire council of DISC (the Driving Instructors Scottish Council) which is the MAJOR body representing Driving Instructors in Scotland.

We also have very healthy links with the major bodies in England and Wales.

I am sure all of us will appreciate your position and I have asked for suggestions to see if there is anything we can do to publicise your campaign.
If I get any word back we will be in touch. If there are updates to your campaigns.
PLEASE let us know.

May your God walk with you in dark times.

Dear Sir / Madam

I would like to first of all express my condolences to the appropriate families mentioned on your website and lend my support to your organisation.

I am a driver trainer based in Edinburgh and will take your message onboard and pass it on to as many people as i possibly can.
Hopefully we can all make a difference and make people especially drivers more aware of the school bus signs and what they mean.

I feel an ideal situation would be to try to get all the bus companies to pull together for a national advert promoting the school bus use and dangers the same as the government did for ice cream vans many years ago.

I am in the process of building a website just now and will put a link to your website on there with your permission.


William Millar
DSA Approved Driving Instructor

I have deleted the mail from Murray Cowie.

The reason being it has also brought all the sad, angry & sick folk out of the woodwork.

Any mail that starts along similar lines will not be read, but consigned to the spam bin, so you will get no satisfaction there either!

We are doing just fine; we have a huge interest in all that we are doing from those in authority & many parents & grand parents.

Our website is well read all over the UK & other countries.

We do realise that a minority will however criticise all we do, as they will everything else in life that does not suit them.

They do so for reasons, best known to them.

We have no reason to apologise to anyone for what we do, nor how we do it.
Ron

Comment:
we dont need buses we have cars, they take our roads bus lane, its us idiots thst pays taxes 4 teses smelly ugly buses get rid of them. they cause nothing but problems

I live in Canada, and all our School Buses, have a STOP SIGN, that comes up when they stop.
It is ILLEGAL for motorists on both sides of the road to pass, until the bus driver is sure all the children are on the pavement.
There is a hefty fine, and also demerit points applied to anyone who does not obey this rule.
We have signs on the roads about stopping for school buses on both sides of the road.

Your Name:
Your Telephone No:
Your Email Address:

Comment:
Just read through your accident list, it makes for sad reading, but there was only about three accidents would have been avoided if motorists were banned from passing stationary school buses, the others were all crashes with other vehicles, that's another issue all together. No ban please.

Sorry for all the parents for their losses, but we don't have the road structure to support banning the passing of stationary school buses, that would only cause more frustration when drivers who have a job to do and a home and family to get home to have to sit behind a slow moving bus which stops and starts. If a driver can't pass when it's stationary, he will take silly chances to pass it while it's moving and that will cause more accidents.
The proper way is for "escorts" wearing high visibility vests/jackets to be present on every bus, so that small children can be escorted across the road.ALL school buses should be yellow with large signs
But why is it always the motorist gets the blame for accidents that are not always his/her fault, there is some responsibility on the bus driver and the parents. I can understand the parents who have lost a child having the need to vent their anger and grief at someone, but our roads are far too small and narrow for overtaking, so the only time a motorist can get past a bus is when it pulls in.

Comment:
re last comment

I was charged by the police after a police tip off by the council and got no help from them and was nearly banned from driving our school bus

This was for leaving my 7 primary 1 to 4 school kids on a school bus when i took a primary 1 child across the busy A98 to the safety of the row of houses that she lived and this i had done an many days.

All charges were dropped and policeman said that i did right thing, but i was put in bad position by doing what i thought was morally correct.

No driver, even other school bus drivers, will wait till we drop and move, we need escorts back to see these kids across safely

Comment:
My suggestion is for the last teacher each afternoon is to say to the pupils 'I have enjoyed teaching you and look forward to our next class'.

Please be careful when you leave here, look carefully before crossing the road .
Take responsibility for your actions and ensure that your mates take care.
Instruct adults meeting you to do so on the side of the road you get off the bus.

Name: mr x
Telephone: x
Email Address: x

Comment:
we fully support your actions, as a quality coach operator who lost many school contracts to a local operator who use old substandard vehicles

Many of which have been upseated to high capacity to cut costs for the local councils, and the operator has been sent to the traffic commissioners many times for maintenance issues.

The whole problem here is that local authorities don't care about school bus safety any more, don't listen to them when they say they want to help.

They only care about the cost of the school bus hire, the yellow bus scheme won't happen till council's start to pay more for the service they would like.

We did offer buses under 10 years for the whole contract, a whole yellow fleet on there contacts, our drivers are all trained in house, it goes on and on, we were told we did not meet the criteria from one council, the other gave all contracts to one operator that has a bad maintenance record.

Its not what you know, its how much and to who.
Until the councils look more at the operator and the service they can give the school children today, instead of the cost of how cheap they can get a school bus trip done, then your fight and our cause will not be taken further.

Sent from www.schoolbus.org.uk/feedback.asp
Posted by on 06 April 2009

I feel banning over-taking of school transport might be going a bit far, but school buses and all public transport for that matter should be clearly identifiable and a max limit of 20mph should apply around them.

I myself have lost two of my sons due to road accidents and know only too well of the pain and grief you go through on a daily basis.
No one should have go through such pain.
I think in order to keep children safe is for the Law to change.
There should be some kind of escort to make sure all traffic is haulted until all children are safely across road and make it a serious offence for any kind of traffic to pass school bus while it is stopped!!

Keep up the good work, encouraging to see someone tackling this important issue.

Regards

Fin, Lesley & Angus.
From Guernsey

I’m Robyn Oldham’s mum, i still find it so very hard to believe Robyn was taken from us, just 15 and her whole life ahead of her, Why?

I just want to thank Ron for all his hard work and persistence with this fight, we know its going to be a very long road, but we will never give up.

To hear just the other week of a similar accident in Fochabers was devastating to me, I’m so glad the young girl was spared her life, but because I’ve lost Robyn its gut wrenching when you hear it has happened again.
No family should go through this pain.

Ron has been campaigning for over 4 years, he’s a very special man who cares so much for other people, without him and his help i would be lost.

He sits at his computer day in day out, attends many meetings fighting for change, he’s more than just the website you see here.

Ronnie,thank you from the bottom of my heart. love
Carla xxx

I was a friend of Robyn's just before she moved up to Scotland. Its not fair what has happened to her and what has happened to many like her. I can't believe people would let this continue so I'm 100% behind this campaigne. I wish you all the luck i can!

lots of love to the family of Robyn Oldham. We'll always love her, missing her so much.

Gabi x

Hello;
I was a schoolbus driver in the USA, in a rural area of the midwest, for 13 years.

I am happy to remember that in my career I didn't have any accident or student injury.

I am amazed that the schoolbuses in the UK are not a vibrant and uniform color, and don't have the protection of flashing lights and a "No Passing" law.

If your authorities could take a ride in one of our buses, I am sure they would see the necessity of such laws.

Good luck in your campaign to protect your nation's children.
Kip Smith, Missouri, USA

I support your campaign and think that anything to get children to and from school safely is a necessity.

I am at this time trying to force my local council in Renfrewshire to giving us traffic lights or a lollipop lady as we have a bus stop at the entrance to our primary school and the local buses stop on one side of the road

So the children think it is safe to cross but of course when they walk out behind the bus the cars are still coming the other way.

I have witnessed on several occassions children having near misses with on coming traffic.

We need to get something to stop the traffic on both sides of the road.
I have seen this time and time again when I walk my 2 younger children to school and it is an accident waiting to happen.

You are right with your campaign, families have to do something about this.

The government have got to be pushed all the way on this one and if I can do anything to help please let me know.

I am 42 and a mother of 4 children.
At the age of 13 I also had a friend who was knocked down and killed at the tender age of 16, it was a local bus and not a school bus, however, the danger is still here today all these years on.
Our children and families are precious to us all and a serious commitment from this government is what we are looking for.

I know you are in a rural area and I am in a built up area but the dangers are still the same.
I applaud your efforts and support you all the way.
I saw your campaign on GMTV. Good luck from, Lorraine and family

I heard Ron Beaty speak on Radio Orkney this morning.

I would like to offer my support in any way which will effect a change in behaviour of motorists when School Buses are dropping off or picking up.

A change in Law will take somewhat longer - but must be pursued with vigour.

I speak firstly as a parent but also as Chair of the Stromness Academy Parent Council where this very issue has been fully discussed.
As a result I took my concerns to the Chair of the Orkney Islands Council Safety Forum who together with Aberdeenshire staffed this issue up through to Westminster.
Geoff Hoons reply was lamentable!

My own experience of a model system is in Germany where I served as an Army Officer for 13 years.
The German system is a much better example, I believe, than the US one.
And lets face it, we apply a lot of useless EU legislation in this country, why not take some worthwhile road safety laws!

In Germany it is forbidden to overtake ANY public service vehicle that stops on the main road to pick up or drop off. (You may pass if the bus has pulled into an off road designated bus stop)

School Buses are clearly marked as such on the front and back.

In UK this is often ruled out because of cost to the bus company who will be using the same bus for other duties when the school run is completed - but - The cost of a simple LED display front and rear would be very small. ie SCHOOL BUS - PLEASE TAKE CARE.

Most buses already have this technology anyway.

My main worries are for the country roads where there are no speed restrictions, no street lighting and no pavements.

Additionally, now in mid winter, our children go to school in the dark and come home in the dark.
Our children are usually dropped off at the end of road junctions and the Highway code tells us not to overtake at junctions - yet it is common practice for cars to power past a stopped bus at speeds up to 60mph (legally) and maybe more in some cases!


I believe we need to pressurise Local Authorities to include proper signing in their contracts with the bus providers.

Bus drivers should be encouraged to report instances of dangerous driving - or 'near misses' of which happen daily up and down the country.
Get Parent Councils involved and keep pressing for a review of the law.

Pleased to support you in any way,
Yours sincerely,
John Johnston.

hey hunny, i know how hard it is to lose someone as i have lost my dad when i was young and my nan tonight. im sorry for what happend with all my regrets. we should do everything that we can to stop this tragidy from happening again. i knew robin from beacon hill high school in blackpool. such a pretty girl and was always bubbely. xx
with love

dawn

We feel very strongly about safety on and off school buses, children should be picked up and dropped off and seen across the road by an escort or if this isnt possible should be dropped of at their road end and should never have to cross a main road. We would also like to see flashing lights on buses when children are being picked up and dropped off and cars should never be allowed to pass a bus with a flashing light. A child was killed at the end of our farm road many years ago, only 1/2 mile where poor Alexander Milne was tragically killed, and at the time this was reported as unusual, unfortunately this is so untrue and another young life was taken which could have been prevented if a safer system was in place. We are dealing with young innocent childern here who have their whole lives in front of them and should be being looked after and seen across the road safely by the bus company, the only people who can change the law is the government we are also fed up of hearing how expensive it would be to have escorts on buses and a flashing light system you cant put a price on a life!!!! We have a son who should be getting a bus at the end of our farm road next summer to go to school and we wont be risking our sons life by putting him on a bus at a road end where two children lost their lives less than 1/2 a mile apart.

It should be made illegal to pass a stationary School Bus like it is in America and Canada. Children's safety is of the utmost importance but I would also add that parents are responsible for making their children aware of safety procedures.

2 of my sons were run over getting of there school bus on the 17 june this year. one broke his foot the outher put his head through the windscreen of the car. (the car was on the wrong side of the road when it hit them) you have my full support.

Good Luck and Best Wishes with your petition.

Im so glad this site has been set up to help make a stand for our kids safety. Well done in all you have achieved so far, and for what still is going to come.

We are behind this campaign100% This is a great campaign to save lives. Our thoughts go out to Philip, Maureen and Maerin Milne.

To our friends carla and derrick oldham and family all of us here in blackpool support your campaign we were heartbroken over the tragedy such a lovely family skys old school mourned with you dont forget us will you add our names to the petition