Farming union backs school bus safety plan
Published:
SCOTLAND’S leading agricultural union has backed a potentially life-saving bid to improve safety on school buses.
National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Scotland bosses yesterday pledged their support for a growing campaign for new legislation following the deaths of two north-east schoolchildren.
Turriff Academy pupil Robyn Oldham, 15, and 12-year-old Alexander Milne, from St Combs, were both killed last month in separate accidents.
They were both struck by cars outside their homes, moments after stepping off school coaches.
The accidents have prompted calls for action to help save young lives.
Illegal
Aberdeenshire Council education director Bruce Robertson urged the UK to adopt safety systems similar to those in North America, where it is illegal to pass a stationary school bus.
His move has been supported by the families of Alexander and Robyn, as well as the parents of Gardenstown youngster Erin Beaty, who was badly hurt in a similar accident four years ago.
The call has also been backed by councillors in Buchan and Stagecoach, the UK’s second largest transport firm.
Now the NFU has thrown its weight behind the campaign.
North-east regional board chairman Philip Sleigh said the union was moved to act after overwhelming support from its members.
Mr Sleigh said: “This is somewhat outwith our usual sphere of activities but we felt we had to speak up.
“We have 1,400 members and obviously a lot of them have children who rely on school transport picking them up from rural locations.
“We’ve received so many calls since the most recent tragedies.
“Every one of our members that we’ve discussed this with is in agreement that we should get behind this campaign.”
He added: “We would wholeheartedly approve of a ban on vehicles overtaking parked school buses.
“It may cause a bit of inconvenience on the roads, people might have to leave for work a bit earlier but it would be worth it if it is going to save lives. We are willing to do anything we can to progress this.”
Aberdeenshire Council has asked the governments at Westminster and Holyrood to review road safety laws.
The authority’s provost, Bill Howatson, said the recent accidents were a “tragic waste of two young lives”.
Last week, the Press and Journal revealed that Stagecoach staff had been made available to go into Aberdeenshire schools and help teach road safety. The company also planned to make £25,000 available to produce an educational DVD to show pupils.
