MSPs set exercise on school transport seat belts bill

Views on a member's bill to require seat belts to be fitted on vehicles dedicated to school transport services are being invited by a Scottish Parliament committee.

Holyrood’s Rural Economy & Connectivity Committee is examining the Seat Belts on School Transport (Scotland) Bill, recently introduced by Gillian Martin MSP.

Eighteen of Scotland's 32 local authorities have already chosen to make it a requirement of their school bus contracts for seat belts to be fitted on dedicated school transport, and the MSPs would welcome representations on whether this has been successful, as well as whether compulsion is the correct way forward, whether there will be a particular impact on equalities groups, and whether the measure should cover anything further.

Committee convener Edward Mountain MSP commented: “The safety of children travelling to school is of vital importance. A key question for the committee is whether the bill will achieve its aim of improving safety on school transport." 

Click here to view the call for evidence. Submissions are due by 14 April 2017.