Regarding the letter from Graham Ellis, seatbelts on all school transport vehicles? Well not really!
The installation and use of seatbelts in PSVs has been mis-handled from the start.
All service buses are exempt. Fitment to coaches is compulsory, but use by all passengers is not. Belts not in use are left trailing on the floor or vandalised ready for future passengers.
To the best of my knowledge there has never been a prosecution relating to seatbelt compliance by passengers on coaches.
The law has been deemed by many as unenforceable. The DVSA examiners are happy to place delayed prohibitions on vehicles with defective belts even in situations where the belts have been damaged intentionally by the passengers. This has nothing to do with maintenance, and distorts OCRS scores.
Quite often when challenged about seatbelt use, children will point out that they do not need to wear them on service buses travelling the same route.
Finally, there are no seatbelts on trains. The intercity 125's steam on, loaded to the gunwales and not a single restraint in sight?
The coach industry is beyond a soft target, it's a quagmire of poorly constructed (PC) legislation.
Trevor Coltman
Fleet Engineer
J&C Coaches Ltd
Newton Aycliffe
County Durham
