Clause 2 - Piloting of new provisions
School Transport Bill
2:30 pm
Mr Huw Edwards (Monmouth, Labour)
My hon. Friend makes a valid point. In the case in which I was involved, it was the intransigence of Stagecoach, the bus operator, which caused this issue to be raised. It has plenty of buses
and it could have put on an extra one. However, although it was being subsidised for the route and it was getting guaranteed season ticket sales from the pupils, it wanted an additional subsidy to put on that extra vehicle to avoid the overcrowding. It refused to put on that extra vehicle, and eventually the county council subsidised it itself.
We have been told that it is likely that a road safety Bill will be introduced soon. It may be appropriate for that legislation to give consideration to getting rid of the three-for-two rule once and for all.