WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3711/97 by José BARROS MOURA to the Commission. School transport by bus in the EU
Date: 1997-11-19
Institutions: BARROS MOURA, European Parliament
Subjects: bus, harmonisation of standards, road safety, roadworthiness tests, safety standard, school transport, transport accident, vehicle parts













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91997E3711

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3711/97 by José BARROS MOURA to the Commission. School transport by bus in the EU  


Official Journal C 187 , 16/06/1998 P. 0044 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-3711/97 by José Barros Moura (PSE) to the Commission (19 November 1997)Subject: School transport by bus in the EUA large number of accidents occur in all the EU Member States involving school buses, in most cases because the vehicles are not up to proper safety standards.The use of school buses with a reasonably harmonized appearance (colour, logo, etc), conforming to rigorous safety standards and thus identified with higher safety levels for primary and secondary schoolchildren, could be of positive symbolic value for the EU.Can the Commission state:1. whether it possesses information on Member States' practice in this field, and whether special requirements exist concerning safety checks and certification for vehicles of this type;2. whether, in the context of the European educational dimension and the rules governing road transport and safety at work, the possibility could not be studied of turning school transport into a European symbol of safety for children and access to education?Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission (26 January 1998)The Commission is naturally concerned by any accidents involving school buses but cannot on the basis of the available facts, accept the Honourable Member's assertions that 'A large number of accidents occur in all the Member States involving school buses' and that accidents involving school buses are 'in most cases because the vehicles are not up to proper safety standards'.Of the 45 000 road fatalities that occur annually in the European Union less than one percent relate to any form of bus or coach and school transport accounts for a small fraction of all bus and coach journeys. Meanwhile, the evidence is that the overwhelming majority of all road accidents result from human error rather than because of defective standards.In response to the Honourable Member's two specific questions. The Commission is not aware of any Member State requiring harmonised appearance and higher safety levels for vehicles used in school transport. Council Directive 96/96/EC ((OJ L 46, 17.2.1997. )) lays down requirements for roadworthiness tests on all motor vehicles, including school buses and consequently provides the type of safety check and certification mentioned by the Honourable Member.Whilst uniquely identifiable vehicles built to special safety standards for school transport (as in the United States) could provide further safety benefits, the Commission notes that no Member State has yet chosen to take this approach in national legislation. Such an approach would clearly necessitate the creation of two fleets of buses - one exclusively for school transport and one for other purposes and may not be regarded as practical or cost-effective. The Commission will, in any event, continue to promote legislative and other changes in the effort to try to ensure high safety standards for all buses and coaches, regardless of their use.