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Welsh Guidance on Managing Special Needs Transport

The WLGA/WAG has published guidance on Managing Special Education Transport.    It is aimed at local authorities in Wales, but is equally applicable to any department managing special needs transport, and includes checklists and self evaluation questions for authorities.

School transport remains priority for Wales

First Minister Carwyn Jones has set out his Government's final legislative programme for this Assemby session.  The programme includes three new measures, including Safety on Learner Travel.   The focus of this will be safety on contracted school transport.

Vetting and barring registration halted

The Government has announced that the proposed vetting and barring registration scheme will be halted.  The scheme was due to start on the 26th July, but will be 'remodelled'.

60% of local authorities have no safer travel policy

A charity 4Children has surveyed 67 local auuthorities and found that 60% have no safer travel policy, more than half do not have a safer travel team. 

Scotland: National Travel Survey results published

The National Travel Survey results for Scotland have been published.  Young people in Scotland are travelling further each year, but making a similar number of trips suggesting that trips are getting longer since the mid 1990s. 

Guidance on school behaviour and attendance partnerships

Many authorities have concerns about managing behaviour on school transport.  The DCSF has recently published guidance regarding the school behaviour and attendance partnerships that are now required.  The guidance empahsises the need for partnership working, but unfortunately doesn't include any reference to transport.  However, school transport staff may be interested in knowing more about these partnerships and ensuring that the approach for managing behaviour on school transport is consistent, and that they are consulted.

School coach crash in Scotland

A 17 year old was killed and several students injured when a coach they were travelling into Alton Towers for a end of term school trip crashed on the A73 in Scotland in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Wheelchair passports on their way

The BSI recently issued a draft Publicly Availably Specification for wheelchair passports, which will include key information for transport providers, drivers and escorts to ensure safe transport of wheelchair users.  A PAS is a fast track standard, and after two years it will be reviewed to determine whether it should be taken  forward to become a formal British Standard.

Aberdeenshire trials safer school bus initiatives July 2009

School bus drivers have beeen attending a workshp to raise awareness of school bus safety including the Bus Stop! campaign.,The workshop is part of a range of initiatives in Aberdeenshire to improve safety for the 12,500 pupils transported. Other initiatives include correct use of school bus signs, improvements to the visibility of school bus signs, a review of pick up and drop off locations and the trials of interactive bus stops developed in Sweden.

Switzerland supports safe school transport in rural areas of Latvia - August 2009

About 9,000 children in Latvia will be provided with safe school transport funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.