Consultation on Seatbelt Requirements for Dedicated School Transport

Closed 3 Jun 2016

Opened 10 Mar 2016

Contact

roadsafety@transportscotland.gsi.gov.uk

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

To help keep children and young people safe on the school-run, Scottish Ministers have had a long-standing intention to make seatbelts a legal requirement on dedicated school transport. Following the devolution of competence from the UK Parliament to the Scottish Parliament in this area last year, current Scottish Government policy is to bring forward such legislation. Dedicated school transport in this consultation refers to vehicles provided by the council or independent/grant-aided school provider – often under contract from a bus operator – for transporting pupils to and from school at the start and end of the school day. This is quite distinct from general public bus services which school pupils may use, paid for by a local authority or otherwise, and there are no plans for any new requirements to extend to such provision.

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Why your views matter

This consultation aims to solicit the views of people and stakeholders with an interest in the area of dedicated/contracted school transport, particularly those in local authorities responsible for education or transportation, bus companies, those involved in education, schools, parenting groups or parents themselves. This will help inform and shape any legislation that may be brought forward in this area by a future Scottish Government. This is specifically on proposals for seatbelts to become a legal requirement within councils’ dedicated school bus contracts, which the Scottish Parliament has newly-devolved powers to take forward, rather than views or representations on the wider issue of school transport provision or safety in general.

What happens next

All responses will be analysed and considered along with other available evidence to help us shape any future legislative proposals requiring the provision of seatbelts to be stipulated within dedicated school transport contracts with bus operators. It will also help inform any necessary impact assessments, should legislation be brought forward.

Interests

  • Children and Families
  • Education
  • Public Sector
  • Transport