Safety and behaviour
Last updated | 24/01/2012
Parental responsibility
Parents are responsible for getting their child to the
designated pick-up point in the mornings and for meeting their
child in the afternoon. Drivers are not authorised to help
children cross the roads.
For pupils with special needs, the pick up and set down
arrangements will be agreed between the parent and the operator
(and escort where provided). Normally pupils with special needs
will be picked up and dropped off at their home address.
Parents should advise their child to stand well back from the
bus stop/pick up point when the vehicle arrives.
Bus seating arrangements
Each pupil travelling on an education transport contract or
service is allocated a seat. It is therefore important that pupils
only travel on the vehicle on which they are allocated.
Only in exceptional circumstances, following consultation with
the senior school staff, will requests for pupils to change vehicle
be considered.
It is important that pupils follow the instructions of drivers
(and escorts where provided) and remain seated during the
journey.
Seatbelts
The Council's requirements for seatbelts are more stringent that
the law requires. Most contract vehicles with up to 25 seats will
have seat belts fitted and on vehicle with less than 17 passenger
seats these seat belts will be of a three point or full harness
design. Coaches used on dedicated school transport routes will also
have seatbelts fitted.
It is important that parents inform their child of the seat belt
wearing practices they would expect them to adopt.
Pupil behaviour
Misbehaviour by pupils can cause a risk to the safety of all
passengers on the vehicle and also to other road users. In the
event of misbehaviour, pupils will be subject to the normal
disciplinary procedures of their school and may lead to the child
being withdrawn from the transport. In such cases the parent will
assume responsibility for getting the child to/from school.
In the event of damage to a vehicle by a pupil, the operator
will pursue parents for the cost of any repairs undertaken.
Smoking
Smoking on any vehicle conveying pupils is strictly forbidden.
Pupils, drivers or escorts who disregard this ban will be subject
to appropriate sanctions.
