§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many school buses are in use in England. [54861]
§ John HealeyThe information requested is not available centrally.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures she has introduced to increase transport for children on the daily school run. [54862]
§ John HealeyLocal education authorities provide home to school transport which fulfils statutory requirements set out in the Education Act 1996. They also have discretion to make additional transport provision to meet local needs. There have been no recent changes to these arrangements.
§ Mr. WrayTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to improve the safety of children on their journeys to and from school. [54796]
§ John HealeyHome to school transport is the responsibility of local education authorities. They must monitor the condition of vehicles used for transporting pupils from home to school and report any safety defects to the Vehicle Inspectorate, which sponsors the annual Operation Coachman inspection of buses and taxis used for the school run.
This Department, in partnership with the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, is taking steps to improve the safety of children whenever they use the roads, on the school journey and at other times, through a combination of engineering, enforcement and education measures. An example is a scheme recently announced by my transport colleagues that is giving children from vulnerable backgrounds practical roadside training.