Minibus leasing company Castle Minibus has launched its ‘Greater Than 8’ safety campaign, with an online petition to Chris Grayling MP, Secretary of State for Transport.
The campaign, instigated by the Bicester, Oxfordshire, firm aims to protect teachers and children by changing the minibus licencing laws.
The D1 minibus licence category was introduced in 1997 after 12 children and their teacher lost their lives in a minibus crash on the M40.
But there is still confusion and legal loop-holes, so the campaign wants to bring the UK in line with Europe by changing the law to require all drivers of 8+ passengers to pass the full D1 driver training test.
The campaign has two main aims:
- To raise awareness of the risks associated with not having a full D1 licence holder driving minibuses, whether for schools or communities; due to no medical checks, eye tests, theory or practical training
- Petition the government to remove the exemptions of volunteer drivers and weight limits of the vehicle, so all drivers of 8+ passengers must hold a full D1 licence
Currently there are exemptions for volunteer drivers, social purposes and vehicles under certain weights.
Chris Maynar MD of Castle Minibus says: “The D1 licencing rules are a real fog especially for teachers and schools, the crux of the issue focuses on whether teachers can be classed as volunteer drivers and weights of vehicles.
“We want to raise awareness and best practice for all drivers of 8+ passengers to have taken the medical, sight, theory and practical tests required by the full D1.”
Castle Minibus wants the law changed to remove all exemptions so that no teacher involved in a collision becomes the legal test case as to whether they were a volunteer driver or not.
Find out more: www.greaterthan8.org
