Safety and behaviour
Last updated | 26/08/2008
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.
Further information on legal requirements for minibus and coach seat belts can be found at the Department for Transport.
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pupils will be subject to the normal disciplinary procedures of their school and may lead to the child being withdrawn from the transport.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.
