Union highlights school minibus dangers

The NASUWT is continuing to campaign for safe and secure transport for teachers and pupils after transport secretary Mark Harper confirmed the government has no plans to make changes to the permit schemes for schools under the Transport Act. These allow teachers to drive minibuses without any specialist training and schools operating minibuses are exempt from Operator Licence requirements, says the union.

“It is dangerous to ask a teacher to drive a minibus when they only have a driver’s licence,” said NASUWT general secretary Patrick Roach. “It is doubly dangerous to ask them to drive long distances after they have already completed their working day at school.”

The union highlighted a 1993 crash involving a school minibus which killed 12 pupils and their teacher.

“Thirty years on, the reason for the crash is still unresolved: the teacher at the wheel had been working all day, driving all evening, and did not have a minibus operator’s licence,” he added. “Unbelievably, teachers are still expected to carry this burden.”