CCTV calls if school buses used for public

GIVING parents access to CCTV and GPS tracking on school buses would allay safety concerns if schools buses were used by the public, the peak body for Victorian bus operators says.

Geelong-based MP Bev McArthur has called for public submissions to a parliamentary inquiry investigating potential use of school buses by the public to supplement rural and regional public transport.

BusVic executive director Chris Lowe said with safeguards in place, permission of schools and bus operators would be needed for the public to ride on school buses.

“We understand that a lot of people will have safety concerns but we’ve got a big issue on school buses, which is bullying, and we believe the presence of adults would be good, it would reduce the prospect of bullying,” he said.

“We believe there should be a revision of rules to access the school bus network.”

Mr Lowe said 1400 school buses in regional and rural Victoria needed to be better utilised.

“School buses are used a couple of hours in the morning and a couple of hours in the afternoon on school days; outside those times they largely sit idle,” he said.

Public Transport Users Association Geelong convener Paul Westcott said while the proposal seemed “superficially attractive”, working with children checks for adults using the services and permission from schools would be needed.

And he said school bus routes weren’t convenient for the public.

“They don’t tend to go where passengers want to go … they don't terminate at hubs like shopping centres or the CBD or stations,” he said.

“Although (the school bus network is) a very widespread network, it’s not particularly direct.”

Mr Westcott said the frequency of most bus services needed to be improved.

“Twenty minutes is considered to be bare minimum for acceptable frequencies; some bus routes in Geelong run at that, but most of them run half-hourly, every 40 minutes, hourly or worse.

“For the regions, out on to the Bellarine and the Surf Coast and out west, they run far less frequently.”

Mr Westcott said more frequent buses across Geelong routes and more services to growth areas should be the priority of transport planners.

Ms McArthur, representing Western Victoria, said submissions to the Use of School Buses in Rural and Regional Victoria inquiry gave the public an opportunity to shape government policy.

She said the public could make submissions until June 25, with the inquiry to then report to government.

“I would strongly encourage anyone with ideas or interest in the matter to get involved,” she said.

See more at parliament.vic.gov.au/eic-lc/ inquiries/inquiry/1007