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ODDS & ENDS NEWS THE NEWEST NEWS !! 09 March 2010
Carla Oldham has been informed of the FAI decision
Read about it tomorrow under my Blog
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LOOK UNDER THE FATAL ACCIDENT INQUIRY TO SEE A COMMENT LEFT BY A MR STEF GREEN.
I ALSO FOUND THE POLICE EVIDENCE DISTURBING!
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Look at the list failures Keirs Coaches had while transporting your children
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Published: 06/03/2010
A double-decker bus on its way to pick up pupils in Aberdeenshire crashed off the road yesterday.
The Stagecoach Bluebird bus slid off the B999 Aberdeen-Tarves road near Udny Station at 8.10am.
The vehicle, which landed on its side, is understood to have been on its way to Tarves to pick up Meldrum Academy pupils at the time.
Once again luck is on the side of pupils. Once again we state double decked buses should not be used to transport school pupils, Why? you only need to ask how many pupils should on been aboard.
Then figure out deaths & injuries would decimate the villages it serves
Still the incident rate of school bus's goes on.
We are just grateful no one was injured
Look at these accidents in the USA with school buses, most are hit by other vehicles, but also check the pupils on the floor of the bus & realise why all school buses should have seat belts. just over 1 min in
In fact why all buses/coaches should have seat belts
Two wheels shear off school bus 3/3/10
An investigation has been launched into how two wheels sheared off a bus which was transporting nine special needs children to a ski lesson in Midlothian.
Another close call, very lucky, how come its both wheels??
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The mother of a 15-year-old girl who was killed in a north-east road accident moments after she stepped off a school bus pledged yesterday
From 1981 to 2006. that is 4 years ago 21.826 children were killed, injured or seriously injured in Scotland alone.
These all happened leaving school transport, that is a horrendous figure, not forgetting that many of the seriously injured suffered brain damage to varying degrees.
All child road casualties are for the same period are 105.329, we are killing & injuring our children
SCHOOL BUS TRANSPORT FIASCO
A bus stopped last year at Alford Academy in Aberdeenshire Scotland, was immediately put of the road for defects.
Defects which at the time were played down by the Local Authority, now turn out not so minor.
In fact the VOSA examiner described the bus as likened to “the type found at the bottom of an operators yard with a trees growing out of it”
This damming statement was made by an VOSA examiner of 12 ½ years experience.
FAULTS WERE
[1] Int body panel dmamged- likely to cause injury
[2] Int light lens in roof light jagged edges hanging free
[3] Locker door detached offside
[4]Locker door detached from body
[5]Exterior body panel insecure & likely to cause injury on the offside rear panel at front of rear wheels
[6]Tyre on nearside,outer axle break in fabric, with damaged body cords & side wall scrubbed through
[7]Luggage compartment door catch defective & door likely to fly open
non steering axle tread worn beyond its legal limit on the off side inner axle 2
[8] Exhaust system was leaking with significant deterioration
AS WE WERE TOLD AT THE TIME MINOR FAULTS
What a shocking indictment for any council to face, the cause, of course cheap tendering for bus operators who are being told to keep tendering costs down.
We all know what you get if you pay someone in peanuts, that’s it in one, monkeys.
So far the council’s explanation falls far short of any reasonable explanation, but there again what can they say, after already saying the defects were minor?
Its hard to maintain a coach/bus on cut price contracts, so what you get is exactly what we said months ago maintenance slippage, we also said it would affect some who care little for children's safety, .
Yet other bus operators provide a great service, as MPS & MSPs, as Governments have said School bus contracts should be at the higher end of safety, not the lower.
Ms Aitken, VOSA, also raised questions about Aberdeenshire Council’s tendering process that led to the firm winning the contract.
She said: “Unless this was an unusual situation, such contracts will have been subject to a tendering exercise and it is likely that price will have been a determining feature,”
We all know the answer to that question, It is more than likely!!
Ms Aitken . VOSA said. “Sympathy should be directed to those operators and drivers who lost work to Keirs and to those who placed trust in Keirs to safely transport them or their dependants.
This is a shocking indictment for any bus operator, but also for any local authority that allows firms like this to transport children, in fact your children.
Regardless of where you stay in the UK , somewhere near you will be a similar problem that has not surfaced, YET
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CHECK OUT THE UPDATED BLOG ON ABERDEENSHIRES BUS POLICY RE THE SCHOOL BUS SAFETY SIGN.
READ MY BLOG PAGE
IF YOU ARE A PARENT, OR IN FACT ANYONE WHO THINKS SEAT BELTS ON SCHOOL BUSES DONT APPLY OR ARE NOT NEEDED, WATCH THIS SHORT VIDEO
THEN TELL ME NO ONE NEEDS SEAT BELTS ON THE BUS
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OUR GROUP OFFERS A CHALLENGE TO EVERY LOCAL AUTHORITY IN THE UK, ANSWER THIS QUESTION.
Another point for the local authorities, who say flashing lights don’t work, or are not necessary .
Even mounted police have a harness on the horse, with guess what, flashing lights!! Not only that but the policeman also had flashing lights on his boots.
Why would this be! yes because its safer & they are easily seen
As some LAs say, its not necessary.
I challenge any local authority to give me their reasons in writing why a flashing light should not be incorporated in a school bus safety sign, of in fact on the bus.
I want to hear your reasons, as do most parents, SURELY IF ITS GOOD ENOUGH FOR HORSES, ITS GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOUR PUPILS SAFETY
ITS OVER TO YOU, I AM NOT HOLDING MY BREATH FOR ANY REPLY HOWEVER
THE AVERAGE COST OF A FATAL ACCIDENT, WORKED OUT BY GOVERMENT IS NOW
£1.2 MILLION, HERE'S YOUR CHANCE TO HELP CUT THIS FIGURE. LETS SEE IF YOU ARE AS KEEN TO DO THIS AS YOU ARE TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS.
WE SUPPORT THIS PETITION BY COLIN GRAHAM
Subject: It is NOT illegal for your local council to drive kids to school in buses with NO seatbelts!
If you feel it should be, please click the link below and sign the petition for Number10 to rectify this ridiculous loophole in our law.
WELSH ASSEMBLY NEWS & WE CONGRATULATE THEM
Deputy First Minister introduces LCO to further improve safety of Welsh learners.
The LCO seeks to confer additional powers on the National Assembly over learner transport safety and concessionary fares
The LCO is part of the Assembly Government’s commitment to continue to improve the safety of children and young people on the journey to school or college and was laid before the National Assembly yesterday.
This would for instance, enable the National Assembly to legislate to compel local authorities only to use vehicles for learner transport which conform to the highest safety standards or have certain characteristics for instance, by requiring the use of school buses which are fitted with seatbelts and CCTV.
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PLEASE READ THE UPDATED BLOG
AN APPEAL TO ABERDEENSHIRE TO USE FLASHING LIGHTS IN THERE SIGN OR ON THE SCHOOL BUS & WHY
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As as group we would like to thank the petitions committee & its members for continuing this petition, they could of easily ended this with a no result., as happened in 2006.
As it happens they are committed people, not only that that but they also have a compassion for children’s safety & that makes the difference.
The purpose of this letter is to seek a written response to the specific points below and those raised during the discussion on the petition—
[1] What impact will its road safety framework (published on 15 June 2009)have onthese two petitions?
[2] How will it ensure the measures outlined in it will be implemented in a uniform way across every local authority?
[3] What were the results of the ‘See Me’ bus stop pilot? Does it have plans to provide additional funding to local authorities to allow this technology to be adopted nationwide? If not, why not?
[4] It clearly believes that there are many issues that are best left to each local authority to determine. However, how does it ensure consistency across all local authorities?
[5] That the good practices of one are replicated in another? That a situation does not emerge that children travelling to school on a school bus do so more safely in one area than in another? There must surely be minimum expectations here? What are they?
[6] How does it ‘support and encourage’ local authorities in this area? Which local authorities does it consider are not doing enough and how is it addressing this?
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IF YOUR SCHOOL
REQUIRES A COPY OF THE SAFETY DVD
SIMPLY CONTACT US
At schoolbus.safetygroup@yahoo.co.uk
WE WILL PASS YOUR NAME TO TALISMAN ENERGY WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS GREAT SAFETY TOOL it will be sent by them, to you. We congratulate them for the vision they have, to save school children’s lives & injuries
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SCHOOLS
We are unsure if every Teacher, Head Teacher or Rector, are aware of the complexities of school transport, in fact are most parents, after all they have a big enough job running a school or a home on a daily basis.
However they are possibly not aware of the lack of safety regulations that can be implemented ensuring children’s safety.
That probably their local authority insists on the minimum safety measures rather then the maximum.
Does that tell you the sort of problem we face, that those in charge cannot see the fact THAT even some wet floor signs can be larger than the school bus safety sign, & in fact probably stand out more?
The problem with that is no one passes you with wet floor sign at 60 plus MPH in a car.
That school transport safety has not changed in over 30 years, all the bus is required to do is display the smallest signs they can back & front. That’s it, the sole safety measures on a school bus, carrying at some times a whole generation of children.
There is no maximum size for the sign, so why do they display the smallest they can find?
In some rural areas carrying the entire generation of a village, yet they still do not insist on the maximum safety measures for our children by their bus contractors, nor are they offered.
Different of course if it’s a council vehicle or employee, not for them the minimum safety measures, nor under marked vehicles, so why do councils not ensure children are as well protected during school transport, as their own employees.
Seat belts, your children in the main will not have seat belts on a school bus, why because there are none! yet they need to wear them in the family car.
Why, because it keeps them safe, so that is the reason they are not fitted to most school transport !!!
At times the question of school transport safety totally fails me, why do not more people, parents, grand parents, who ever are in charge of school children, speak up & out.
Is it a case of “It won’t happen to us” don’t count on that, we & those who have written to us all thought that, & THERE ARE MANY OF THEM.
Are you as a parent, if your children use the school bus, totally happy with the safety measures provided ?
Different drivers on school buses often day after day, especially in towns & cities, are all these drivers checked through Disclosure Scotland, what about public service bus drivers who also carry school children, are they checked at all?
We leave you with these thoughts today, all we ask is you think about them, read the site, see what your council can do, & often wont, simple measure that can & will save lives, that are not implemented.
I can say, some of the replies we have had from various councils regarding school transport leave us cold at the thought of what might happen & in fact as we can testify, does happen.
Decisions left to the bus driver, or the coach operator, decisions that affect your child, left to a driver , i think not!!
There has to be a total safety coverage for every child, all councils should implement the same policy.
Why should a child be safer in one council area than another,in 2009 our children deserve better than this.
If you are unhappy, tell your council, your MP & your MSP, then tell us, so we can take it forward to the benefit of all.
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Your council cannot be told what to do by any government, they are a power unto themselves, as they say " we are government, local government"
The Department of Transport tell us the Scottish Government & Local Authorities, can INSIST that improvements can be are carried out on school bus safety.The legislation is there to do so.
The Scottish Government & Westminster can tell your council what it expects them to do, but they cannot force the issue, incredible but true!
So if they decide against the issue , is that the end of the argument !
We know councils & the both Governments are looking at proposals for change as already discussed & agreed by the DOT.
These are:-
· Extra lights can be fitted higher up on the school bus.
· Hazard lights can be used to warn traffic
· Illuminated signs can be fitted like “SCHOOL BUS” or “CAUTION”
· There is no limit to the size the school bus safety sign, it can be any size
Not however for a law stopping overtaking a school bus unloading. That is not a devolved power!
Its 5 years since Erin’s accident, September 2009 will see a year passed since Robyn & Alexander were knocked down, changes, well we are told some are coming.
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We also wait to hear how Malcolm Bruce’s bill will be received, we are sure that those in power now realise.
There is no way back, safety has to move forward now, children’s lives & the horrendous injuries they suffer depend on this happening.
Inappropriate display of school bus sign
As previously advised, the alleged incident to which you refer has been
brought to the attention of the relevant operator.
To be really honest, we don’t want our council to bring this to the attention of the bus operator.
They already know its wrong to display it inappropriately, every bus knows it’s wrong.
We ask something is done about it as regards a penalty of some kind, that way they won’t ignore it
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ALSO CHECK OUT
ACCIDENT LIST 1
FIRSTLY WE WOULD LIKE TO CLEAR UP SOME CONFUSION
WE WOULD LIKE TO POINT THIS OUT TO EVERYONE
WE would add The children had left the bus stop, none of the children had walked out from behind the bus,nor in front of it , nor in front of a any car.
Robyn was well over the road when she was hit !
Alexander was at the verge on his side of the road, a foot fall from safety!
Erin was virtually at the kerb on her side of the road!
We would also add, none were wearing iPod's or using a mobile phone, as many would like to point out they were, especially the drivers!!
They were leaving school transport, as they were taught to do,as all parents teach their child to do, observing road safety .
None were larking, about,there is no accounting for the careless driver who does not pay attention.
Yes we aware that some children do lark about at the bus stop, [ they always have, its nothing new] drivers however should be prepared for this event
RUMOURS HAPPEN FOR A REASON
OFTEN SPREAD TO MAKE OTHERS FEEL BETTER
YOU NOW HAVE THE TRUTH, AS IT HAPPENED ,& IS RECORDED IN POLICE STATEMENTS
We are proud so say, some of these solutions that Westminster came up with,had never been heard of nor in fact spoken about until we raised the question of a no passing law with Westminster.
All these amendments that can be written into school contracts simply come to light because we asked the Department of Transport for a law to stop vehicles passing the school bus.
If we had not asked this question, would they of ever come to light, in fact it seems no one knew they existed, if they did, no one ever mentioned them prior to this petition, they were certainly not mentioned during my last petition in 2006by any Government or Local Authority
We are proud as a group we have at least got this far & we will get further yet
Our petition carries on , we would like to thank each committee member for allowing it to continue.
This also gives time for everyone involved in school bus safety to fully discuss this matter..
As Nannette Milne rightly pointed out, there are discrepancies in road safety measure across Scotland
Not every child in Scotland has the same measure of safety, & we cannot stand by as this goes on.
Strathclyde Public Transport unit tells me
SPT act as agents for 11 councils for the purpose of procuring and managing their school transport requirements. Whilst we would support your assertion that use of the signs on other journeys dilutes other road users association with the transport of school children, neither SPT nor the councils can take action against a transport operator when not undertaking a contracted service.
YES YOU CAN, THROUGH YOUR SCHOOL CONTRACT
ITS ACTUALLY YOU THAT THAT REVIEWS PROCEDURES
So in fact its quite possible that these 11 councils are being misled, we do appreciate what you have done so far.
I was also quoted in the Press that I supported the new See Me initiative, I do , as the rest of the families do.
But only on the condition its available to every child, we cannot support, nor will in fact support any safety measures that protect some children, but not them all.
I also spoke out for all the families involved, not for myself
This of course affects every school bus in Scotland
School safety needs to be inclusive, not reserved for certain bus routes, accidents do not recognise post codes.
We hope that over this holiday period all councils take note that they can protect school children properly, we look forward to the fact things can change & are already to an extent changing.
IF YOU THINK SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENTS ARE A RARE OCCURANCE
TYPE INTO GOOGLE
WE ARE ALSO BUSY ANSWERING QUERIES FROM OTHER GROUPS & MEDIA MEANTIME
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We appreciate it all takes time, as it has with other pressure groups, sometimes in fact years.
THE SAD THING IS THE LONGER WE WAIT
THE MORE INJURIES THERE WILL BE & SADLY THERE WILL BE MORE DEATHS
WE CAN ONLY DO WHAT WE CAN
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If I can remind ALL Aberdeenshire Councillors.
We await the outcome of this with interest.
It is past 12 months since the most recent accidents, Robyn & Alexander. It is 5 years since Erin's accident.
All we can do is lay the facts before you, we pray that that you hear & see what needs done, then take a stand to save lives.
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12th December 2008.Meeting Aberdeenshire Council
Aberdeenshire councillors have approved a range of measures to improve safety on the school run, following the recent tragic deaths of two pupils on the area’s roads.
It explored various issues including: revised legislation and enforcement; escorts on school buses; the visibility of vehicles and pupils; yellow school buses; pick-up/drop-off procedures; road safety education and promotional and awareness campaigns.
we wonder how much of this has been accomplished
· Approved work on revised road safety DVDs for pupils
· Backed a response to the Yellow School Bus Commission
· Asked that officers and transport operators jointly prepare options for revised and supplementary school bus warning signage and lighting
· Supported joint working with the Scottish Government to examine the scope for the redesign of the existing school bus sign
· Instructed senior officers to meet with the Scottish and UK Governments to discuss how any further review of legislation concerning banning the overtaking of stationary school vehicles should be progressed
· Approved further work to design fashionable high-vis clothing
· Instructed officers to disseminate information on existing school transport policy, and other road safety issues, to pupils, parents and teachers through the GLOW intranet system
· Instructed work on the evaluation/progression of pick-up/drop-off points
· Instructed work with Scottish Government officials to encourage further research of pick-up/drop-off points through relevant local authority associations covering road safety and public transport
· Instructed officers to work with partners to maximise the use of the media to promote joint, coordinated messages to pupils, parents and drivers regarding the issues surrounding road safety and school transport
Councillors also asked officers to do further work investigating the feasibility and costs of introducing interactive roadside bus stops aimed at increasing the visibility of pupils at school transport pick-up/drop-off sites.
The council already undertakes an extensive range of road safety education initiatives in all schools, but councillors approved further investigation of opportunities to introduce new education initiatives to support improved road safety.
They also approved the launch of a school poster competition aimed at developing a poster which would be displayed inside and outside school buses in Aberdeenshire to raise awareness amongst drivers of the potential for pupils crossing.
In addition the committees asked officers to:
Reinforce the crucial importance of the correct use and display of school bus signs in line with the current contractual requirements
Restate the clear requirement within current contracts for the use of hazard warning lights when picking up and dropping off pupils
Request that all operators also use dipped headlights when picking up and dropping off pupils
THERE ARE CHANGES COMING FROM ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL
WHEN THEY ARE ADOPTED IN FULL WE WILL LET YOU KNOW
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IF YOU WISH TO TAKE PART IN OUR SURVEY
THERE ARE 8 QUESTIONS YOU CAN TAKE PART IN
Click Here to take survey
IT CAN ONLY BE TAKEN ONCE BY EACH COMPUTOR
THIS IS TO PREVENT MANIPULATIONOF THE SYSTEM
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We would like to place our thanks on Record to everyone in the media who has helped publicise this campaign, without their help it would of been really hard to get our message out there
WE CANT THANK EACH ONE PERSONALLY, it would take pages of space
But each one has our eternal gratitude
To all papers who have printed letters & articles, who are to numerous to mention, but we thank EACH ONE OF them
THANKS TO YOU ALL WHO HAVE HELPED IN VARIOUS WAYS
To all BBC, Grampian & STV television companies & Radio Stations
Local Radio Station Orginal 106 Aberdeen
Celebrations of Turriff
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Aberdeenshire & City Council, along with Moray are considering an increase in the size of the safety sign, as you know there is no maximum size to this, so in fact it could be much larger, it needs to be.
The councils are running a trial of the Swedish System See Me run by AMPARO, it is however not cheap, maybe some of the simpler options might be a better, they could be started now. We do however agree a trial is needed.
The council told us that experts agree rotation of safety measure is better than using ones that are constantly in use, because they lose there effect.
There is a cure for that is to use signs that catch attention, brightly lit & if possible flashing.
We all know the effect the flashing 30mph sign in towns& villages has on drivers, it works!
The councils involved are reviewing & assessing their pick up/drop of points, which might be a good idea, the feeling is, at least by me in rural areas, that maybe the days of a stop at every road end needs to stop.
OTHER ORGANISATIONS
The councils are working with COSLA [ Convention of Scottish Local Authorities , ]www.cosla.gov.uk & ATCO, [Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers, www.atco.co.uk] which is fine by us, they both support many of the points we have already put forward, we congratulate them on their forward thinking, especially as they are regarded as having a sensible & very stable voice with in their fields of expertise.
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PETITION PE1223-COSLA REPLY
COSLA and ATCO (Scotland) has previously said that we would also support the introduction of legislation prohibiting the overtaking of school buses when children were boarding and, more importantly, disembarking along with the suggested & that bus operators should be required to remove such signs when the vehicle is not carrying school children to or from school. datory use of flashing lights.
Currently hazard warning lights may be used when picking up and setting down school children but there is no legislative requirement to do so.
Consequently, many tendering authorities require hazard warning lights to be used through their Terms and Conditions of Contract for the provision of school transport services.
The problem highlighted previously was the need to consider amending the Education (Scotland) Act, 1980 and to make Regulations under the Road Traffic Regulation Act, 1984 to achieve what Mr Beaty’s petition requests.
However, as road traffic legislation is not a devolved matter, we assume that any such proposals could only be introduced through the UK Parliamentary process.
We assume that the Scottish Parliament would want to make the appropriate representations to the Department for Transport on these matters.
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PETITION'S UPDATE 04 March 2010
I attend the next external meeting of the Scottish Governments petitions meeting on 15th March in Anstuther. Fife
This is to discuss the DOT reply which is not promising.
However we fight on & still have the Scottish dimension that the petitions committee is looking at, one being that every school child should have the same level of safety as the next.
Accidents don’t recognise post codes, so why should pupils in different areas have different levels of safety
Read Carla Oldhams hopes regarding the FAI
PETITION HEARD ON 15TH DECEMBER
The petitions meeting went well; it was more of around the table discussion to try to take things forward again.
The yellow bus commission was represented by a very able gentleman Mr Garth Goddard who explained much about his work with the commission & their intentions.
Others were Malcolm Bruce MP;
Josh Kane MSYP, Convener of Scottish Youth Parliament Transport, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee;
Richard McKenzie, Public Transport Manager, Aberdeenshire Council
Ewan Wallace, Head of Transportation, Aberdeenshire Council
Ron Beaty, Petitioner
Sadly Lynne Merrifield could not attend due to illness
Let me once again state what was spoken about at the petitions committee meeting.We agree all buses involved in school contracts, this includes buses on out of school activities..If children are aboard, the sign should be shown, there is no reason not to do so.
Malcolm Bruce ideas were also continued as were others, it was an open meeting & now Stewart Stevenson & Paul Clark MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport Department for Transport, have been written to.
We were grateful to the petitions committee who are still running with this & there seems to be a determination to explore various ideas.
Our thanks also to Malcolm Bruce MP for coming from the House of Commons to carry this forward.
We fight on, until every child in Scotland, then the UK have the same level of safety, & not this mish mash of some rules apply & others don’t.
As as group we would like to thank the petitions committee & its members for continuing this petition, they could of easily ended this with a no result. As happened in 2006.
As it happens they are committed people, not only that that but they also have a compassion for children’s safety & that makes the difference.
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CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS PEXXX1098 and PE1223
THESE TWO PETITIONS HAVE BEEN JOINED TOGETHER & BOTH LYNN & MYSELF HAVE SPOKEN ON THIS.
Petition by Lynn Merrifield, on behalf of Kingseat Community Council, calling for the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to make provision for every school bus to be installed with three point seatbelts for every school child passenger and to ensure that, as part of a local authority’s consideration of ‘Best Value’ in relation to the provision of school buses, proper regard is given to the safety needs of the children.
Petition by Mr Ron Beaty calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to take all appropriate action, whether through amending guidance, contracts, agreements or legislation, to require local authorities to install proper safety signage and lights on school buses, to be used only when school children are on the bus when necessary, and make overtaking a stationary school bus a criminal offence.
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Local authorities can insist on the school bus sign being removed when a bus is not being used to carry school children.
Insist hazard lights are used during pick up & drop off [ PUDO] you will see this name used further down.
Insist on the safety sign changing.there's is no maximum size to the safety sign, which means it could be much larger, the councils are working toward this end [ we are expecting an announcement regarding this & other measures in the next few months ]
Insist coaches/ buses fit extra hazard lights higher up on the vehicle
Insist illuminated signs can be placed in both front & back windows
Insist seatbelts are fitted in every school bus.The problem here is there is a huge cost to this, the problem is, What price do you put on a childs life
Aberdeenshire Council has now told school bus operators to use dipped headlights when children are aboarding.
WE THINK THOSE MEASURES ARE PLAIN ENOUGH FOR ANYONE TO UNDERSTAND
WE NOW WAIT TO SEE WHAT OTHER LOCAL AUTHORITIES PROPOSE IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE
The chair of the petitions committee states,
“There is a willingness to listen to these issues and we want to create some momentum,” said convenor Frank McAveety.
For that we thank him & the committee members
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SCHOOL TRANSPORT & THE SCHOOL SIGN
We have been told that the vast majority of school contracts are in fact in the process for re-tendering in 2010.
We have also been told the review of the contracts will include clauses relating to the display of the school bus sign.
ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL ARE NOW INSISTING IN THERE NEW BUS CONTRACTS THE FOLLOWING
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY SIGN TO BE REMOVED IF NOT CARRYING SCHOOL CHILDREN
THE COUNCIL ARE ALSO TRYING TO DESIGN AN IMPROVED SAFETY SIGN
ROAD SAFETY POSTERS ON EVERY VEHICLE
A SAFETY DVD TO BE SHOWN TO EVERY DRIVER
SEAT BELTS ON VERY SCHOOL BUS, SO THIS MEANS OLD STYLE DOUBLE DECKERS WILL ALSO BE BANNED FROM SCHOOL TRANSPORT
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ONE PROBLEM WE THINK WILL HAPPEN, & ONE WE TOLD YOU WOULD HAPPEN, UNLESS ABERDEENSHIRE HAVE CHANGED THE RULES
IF YOUR CHILD USES A SERVICE BUS, ALSO USED AS A SCHOOL BUS, THEY WILL NOT HAVE [ OUR UNDERSTANDING IS ] FITTED SEATBELTS
SO AT THIS MOMENT, IT APPEARS SOME SCHOOL CHILDREN WILL HAVE GREATER SAFETY ON THE BUS, THAN OTHERS
THAT IS WRONG, IT IS VERY WRONG
YOU CAN ALWAYS TELL US WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS BY MAILING US THRO OUR GUESTBOOK
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We raise safety on a regular basis , ASKING support from ALL our Scottish MPs at Westminster, & pointing them to our website so they can read what happens .
We contact many local authorities & are now in fact asking every one of them to respond regarding safety measure they have in place
We have NOW written to each elected member of the Scottish Goverment & Westminster.
It can be hard getting our point across as many MP's wont reply to those outside their constituency. There is no other way of getting our point across except by writing & speaking with them, we are not interested in party politics or point scoring, we simply want to save childrens lives.
This problem affects every parliamentary constituency, school bus accidents don’t neatly fit into compartments, they affect everyone , regardless of where they live.
THIS IS A UK PROBLEM
PUPILS DO NOT HAVE INCLUSIVE SAFETY IN SCHOOL TRANSPORT
We are really encouraged by some of the replies we have had from MP's & parents.
Of course many are also parent's & grand parent's so it’s not hard to see why there is an interest.
This is something every parent whose child uses school transport should be asking themselves “Is my child safe getting of & on school transport?”
"we thought our's were"
The part we don’t understand is why it's so hard to get an interest in School Safety Transport in England & Wales.
This we fail to understand, they have children killed & injured as we do in Scotland.
IT APPEARS THROUGH OUT THE UK ,SOME COUNCILS ARE CONVINCED THEY ARE DOING ENOUGH REGARDING SCHOOL TRANSPORT SAFETY.
WHEN IN FACT THE SAME COUNCILS HAVE CHANGED NOTHING OVER 30 ODD YEARS. FASTER ROADS, MORE TRAFFIC, YET NOTHING HAS CHANGED!
THEY ARGUE ABOUT THIS & THAT & ARE QUITE HAPPY TO IMPLEMENT MINIMUM SAFETY STANDARDS FOR SCHOOL TRANSPORT, BUT FOR SOME REASON NOT THE MAXIMUM.
I DOUBT IF THAT COULD BE SAID OVER THEIR OWN WORKERS SAFETY.
IF SCHOOL CHILDREN HAD A TRADE UNION , MANY OF THESE PROBLEMS WOULD OF BEEN RESOLVED BY NOW.
THE SAD THING IS , LOCAL AUTHORITIES UK WIDE KNOW HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE THE SITUATION, THEY KNOW THEY CAN CHANGE SAFETY PROCEDURES.
BUT THEY WONT & PARENTS NEED TO BE ASKING WHY, BEFORE THE NEXT ACCIDENT!
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COUNCILS - SCHOOL SIGN 20 February 2010
SCHOOL SAFETY SIGN CLARIFICATION
I am now in a position to clarify the position regarding the inappropriate display of the school safety sign, well almost,
Aberdeenshire Council have now stated in their contract
clause 4.9 "All vehicles adapted to carry more than 8 passengers must,
whilst carry pupils from home to school or from school to home on behalf of the Council, display School Bus Signs that are approved by the
Council, and meet the specifications laid down in the Road Vehicles
Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 1994
The display of school bus signs is not permissible on any journey with the exception of those transporting pupils home to school or from school to home."
Whilst we welcome this change to their contract, the problem arises when there are out of school activities, such as swimming or visits to what ever, the sign should still be displayed, as school pupils are still on board.
This wont happen, so its only half a measure
Not only that, we read further on that
School transport penalty points no. xiv "Failure to display any Council
approved school bus signs, when operating a service/journey to/from
school at the beginning of/end of the school day" 10 penalty points
(penalty for repeated failure 20 penalty points).
The above penalty points are 'backed-up' by the Terms and Conditions which state :
clause 4.9 "All vehicles adapted to carry more than 8 passengers must,
whilst carry pupils from home to school or from school to home on behalf of the Council, display School Bus Signs that are approved by the
Council, and meet the specifications laid down in the Road Vehicles
Lighting (Amendment) Regulations 1994...... The display of school bus
signs is not permissible on any journey with the exception of those
transporting pupils home to school or from school to home."
Remember this bit “ The display of school bus signs is not permissible” etc & read the next bit in red
Aberdeenshire add
As discussed, whilst in line with Scottish Government Guidance we have
included in our Terms and Conditions wording to preclude the use of school bus signs on vehicles when not operating home-to-school transport in order to reinforce the message to operators (which, as you know, we are constantly reminding operators about).
We know they constantly remind operators about this, & for this we are grateful, but it still goes on!
So it’s improving, however we are then told
“ we did not consider that it would be appropriate to include penalties within the school transport penalty points to address such 'infringements', as these would not occur when under contract and therefore when the Council has direct control over the operation of the vehicle in question.
So it appears what we have , at least my understanding is,
If the bus has a school safety sign showing when not transporting school pupils, ie used on tour buses, football buses etc etc.
In other words “out of contract” they cannot enforce this rule.
Fat use, this is exactly when the sign is misused, so where are we now.
it appears the council wants to stop it, the Scottish Government wants to stop it, yet Westminster , or in fact the Dept of Transport could not care less.
They stick to their statement. It can be placed in every contract, knowing full well it can be, but also are they aware penalties cannot be applied.
What all this seems to me as, Buck passing in the first degree..
Why don’t all the local authorities write to the Dept of Transport asking for the law to be changed.
Don’t simply sit back & let others, like ourselves, push for you, you have a lot more power than we do and you carry more weight than we do.
So let’s sort this
This could be done thought COSLA, or in fact all local authorities could meet & could discuss this very real problem.
They then could all approach the DOT togther & ask the law be changed , it is that simple, so why do they not do so!!!!
This is also stated by Transport Scotland
The council does not, as you believe, have the authority to actually require the sign to be removed out with contract periods as this is not a requirement set down in legislation.
Responsibility for that legislation rests with the UK Government
However, as part of our on-going work with Aberdeenshire Council on safety around school buses, we do intend to write again to DfT on behalf of the Minister once new school bus signs have been evaluated to ask that removal of signs out with school contract journeys is made a requirement in law or that we are given the powers to make it a legal requirement in Scotland.
The whole thing is one huge mess that no one wants to change.
School transport safety change was discussed again in 1992, what has happened, NOTHING
They wanted IN 1992
Draft regulations are being circulated to interested parties and their comments invited by 31 August.
The proposed regulations would require all buses—except those running scheduled services for the general public—to display a distinctive sign while carrying children to or from their school. They would also permit the fitting of flashing amber lights near such signs, and their use when children are getting on or off the bus.
The use of these signs will make a significant contribution to improving the safety of children using school buses. They will alert motorists to the fact that children are about and might be crossing the road. Motorists should exercise extra caution every time they overtake a stationary bus displaying the sign, whether or not it is equipped with the additional flashing lights.
What happened, NOTHING
WE WOULD ASK ANY PRIVATE BUS OPERATOR TO READ FURTHER DOWN
We do not support any cuts to your contract prices & in fact know it’s a backward & retrograde step.
This was added today to simply make a statement of support
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EVERY CHILD ON A SCHOOL BUS/COACH, OR IN FACT A BUS/COACH USED TO TAKE PUPILS TO SCHOOL, SHOULD HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF SAFETY REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY LIVE, ITS SURELY THEIR RIGHT.
AFTER ALL ADULTS DONT WORK UNDER DIFFERENT SAFETY LAWS, WHY SHOULD CHILDREN TRAVEL UNDER THEM.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO EAST RIDING OF YOURKSHIRE COUNCIL
Its amazing what people can do when they put heads together & have an open mind
School buses/coaches in East Yorkshire have been fitted with flashing lights to help prevent accidents as children step off and cross the road.
Lights on the council coaches flash when youngsters alight to alert approaching drivers.
East Riding of Yorkshire Council said pupils were at risk when they got off a school bus/coach and then crossed the road.
The project will run for 12 months and if successful commercial operators will be urged to copy the system.
Councillor Symon Fraser said the flashing lights were particularly important with the onset of winter
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COUNCIL STUFF
DISTURBING NEWS RE THE NEW ABERDEENSHIRE SCHOOL CONTRACTS
It seems the bus operators that provide school transport have been told, in not in so many words., THIS WAS AT A MEETING TODAY
Allegedly Money is short!
Does this mean unless the bus operators put IN a lower price, they can kiss their contract goodbye?
But they do have to use best value , but as we have already pointed out, as has the Government, this does not MEAN the cheapest!
Although i am begining to hear this from other local authorities now, no money.
If this is the case the Goverment needs to look at the way it funds other organsations & quangoes,with thousands of pounds for a few hours work each week.
Then decide, after 30 years of spending nothing, do we now have to spend money on improving safety for pupils on the school bus.
We will not stand quitely by on this subject!
I really begin to feel sorry for some of these operators, how can you run a business when you are continually being told to cut prices.
WE HOPE THE PROMISES MADE TO OURSELVES & STEWART STEVENSON WILL BE KEPT.
TIME WILL TELL!
WE DO HOWEVER RECOGNISE ANY MAJOR EXPENDITURE SHOULD BE GOVERNMENT FUNDED, IT IS UNFAIR TO EXPECT HUGE SAFETY SCHEMES TO COME OUT OF A DEPLETED BUDGET
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We now see the second part of the Pilot See Me safety initiative, will we ever see it?
I dont know, but unless it protects every child i dont think its worth the expense
NO ONE IS SAYING
How can anyone support a scheme that gives one child a better chance of safety & survival than another, regardless what road they are on, or where they live.
NO ONE IS SAYING
As we say improve what you already have, the school bus, make it more visable, THAT WAY DRIVERS CANT MISS IT
We will still continue to press forward with all we have asked for, also adopting any other schemes which are put forward if they provide safer transport & are achievable.
We believe that they will greatly contribute to school transport safety,our only goal is safer buses for children, thereby saving lives, nothing less & nothing more.
Its as simple as making the vehicle they travel in more visible & ensuring the public are more aware when children are being carried, to that end we still insist the safety sign must be removed.
WE ALSO NEED IT TO BE LARGER, BRIGHTER & FLASHING & WHY NOT, IT CAN BE DONE
In due course drivers will then become used to the fact, the bus is not transporting adults on a jolly somewhere, but that the sign means exactly what it was designed for, a bus carrying children.
We will continue to press ahead with this
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