A north-east man’s decade-long battle for safer school buses must not be allowed to “wither”, a local MSP has warned.
Stewart Stevenson said there was a danger that Ron Beatty’s campaign – calling for better signage on school buses – might peter out given it had continued for so long “without a practical result”.
Mr Beatty, from Gardenstown, started campaigning in 2004 when his granddaughter Erin was left wheelchair bound after she was knocked down getting off a bus.
He has urged authorities to take steps to ensure motorists know at all times that any stationary bus they are about to overtake has children on board.
Holyrood’s public petitions committee has now agreed to write to the UK Government to demand action on the issue.
Mr Stevenson, who is MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, said: “For 10 years this issue has been before various forms of this committee.
“The origins (of the petition) date to a road traffic accident involving Mr Ron Beatty’s granddaughter. I recognise Ron Beatty is in the gallery once again.
“I think over the ten years he has been coming here he has only missed two meetings… so you will recognise the commitment he has to improving safety for all school pupils in the vicinity of school buses.
“We’ve seen a fair amount of activity but rather less action.”
Mr Stevenson pointed to a submission by Glasgow City Council highlighting their pilot scheme for increased signage on school buses.
He said: “Most drivers recognised (in the Glasgow study) that improved signage told them to slow down and helped them to be more aware and cautious – and the on road test had a number of drivers who said they were more cautious.
“We should seek ways, with Transport Scotland, to extend this work – and also with the changes in practices there have been in Aberdeenshire – across the 32 local authorities.
“This is not simply an Aberdeenshire problem it is a problem for the whole of Scotland.
“The debate around this issue and the relentless campaign of Ron Beatty is something we shouldn’t allow to wither without a practical result.”
The public petitions committee agreed yesterday to write to the UK Government’s Department of Transport to explore if the issue of mandatory signage for school buses might be devolved and taken forward.