Fraser: School buses must have seatbelts

SCHOOL buses that travel on yet-to-be-upgraded sections of the Pacific Hwy should be the first to be installed with seat belts.

SCHOOL buses that travel on yet-to-be-upgraded sections of the Pacific Hwy should be the first to be installed with seat belts.

That's the call from parents who this week welcomed a State Government commitment to spend $208 million to install belts on country buses.

NSW Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian, who vowed to phase out students standing in the aisles of 1700 dedicated buses routes, says the Government will sit down with bus operators to discuss the plan.

"When you reduce the fact that kids are standing that means you need more buses and we need to make sure that we do everything as efficiently as possible," Ms Berejiklian said.

Member for Coffs Harbour Andrew Fraser said he hopes the decision will prevent tragic incidents like the death of a 17-year-old school girl killed in a bus crash at Urunga in 2007.

"This is a significant investment in the safety of children in regional and rural NSW and a first for this state," Mr Fraser said.

"It's been an issue on the North Coast for as long as I can remember."

"We have seen a death in recent years where a young lass was thrown from a bus on a windy country road and was killed and I think it's high time we actually funded this particular program."

Action group Belt up for Safety says it's important the Government installs seat belts on dangerous yet-to-be-upgraded sections of the Pacific Hwy on the Coffs Coast.

The Government says it will adopt most of the recommendations made by the Independent School Bus Safety Advisory committee inquiry and the roll-out could take up to 10 years to complete.