Transport Scotland has been rebuked for failing to hold “meaningful” talks with a north-east school bus safety campaigner.
It follows a recent letter from Ron Beaty to the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee over his campaign to improve the signs displayed on school buses.
The Gardenstown man started campaigning 10 years go after his granddaughter, Erin, was left wheelchair-bound when she was knocked down after getting off a bus.
Mr Beaty told the committee that although he was one of the main stakeholders in the drive to improve school bus safety, he is often excluded from meetings with local authorities and government departments.
He said one meeting “a few years back” was held in the cafe at Aberdeen railway station, and the official involved then moved on to Woodhill House for a “comfy” meeting with Aberdeenshire Council.
Central Scotland MSP John Wilson agreed with a proposal put forward at yesterday’s petitions committee to write once again to Transport Scotland on the need to make progress.
He said when the committee makes a recommendation to a public agency to engage with petitioners it meant meaningfully engage, not in a cafe where no notes were taken.
“Transport Scotland should be made aware that when we talk about consultation with the petitioners we talk about meaningful consultation in an appropriate place and with appropriate time and consideration,” he said.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “Mr Beaty has made an important and valuable contribution to the issue of school transport safety and this has been reflected in our engagement with him.
“Transport Minister Keith Brown again expressed his gratitude for his efforts during a parliamentary debate on these matters last week and is writing to Mr Beaty offering to meet with him to discuss what can be done in regard to making improvements in this area with the powers available to Scottish ministers.”
