PLANS to improve safety on school buses in York don't go far enough, according to the city's Young Peoples' Champion.

City of York Council's executive has approved a four-point plan of improvements for home to school transport, compiled by councillors.

But the council's Young People's Champion, Coun David Scott said timescales need to be brought forward in the interests of safety.

On Tuesday, the executive voted to ensure that minimum standards for all future home to school transport buses include:

  • Lap seatbelts to be fitted to all vehicles, with the long-term aim of these being three-point seatbelts
  • CCTV to be installed in all vehicles and functioning at all times
  • Contractors to ensure that all drivers have had a criminal record check within the last three years
  • Emissions to be brought in line with European guidelines or greater.

These plans were given the go-ahead, with the school bus carrying children to St Mary's Primary School, Askham Richard, to be fitted with seatbelts by September 2007, after concerns raised by parents.

Speaking at the meeting Labour's Coun Scott said: "Secondary school pupils will not have any guarantee about their safety until the contracts at their school are re-negotiated. The council has not done anything to assess how long that will be."

Coun Scott said between 10,000 and 11,000 passengers are injured inside buses each year and around 2,500 children are injured inside buses and coaches each year as a direct result of not wearing seatbelts. Around 20 per cent of the injuries to children are permanent.

Coun Scott is asking parents who have concerns about the safety of transport provided by the council from home to school to write to him at the Guildhall or email cllr.dscott@york.gov.uk Executive member for Children's Services, Coun Carol Runciman, said: "Much as it might be seen as desirable to change a service straight away, careful advice needs to be considered about the costs to the council of any changes and the legal implications that might affect existing contracts.

"I can assure parents that all reasonable steps will be taken to resolve matters as soon as we are able to do so."