PARENTS in the north Cotswolds are well on their way to victory in their campaign for safer school buses.

Gloucestershire County Council seems likely to accept their view that extra safety features and seat belts should be compulsory on school transport across the county.

The issue was highlighted last year by parents of pupils at Blockley Primary School and St David's Primary in Moreton. The parents submitted a 182-signature petition to the county council demanding better provision.

Their case was taken up by county councillor Barry Dare, who on Monday won unanimous support from members of the county's education committee for a motion calling on the county to change its policies.

Speaking afterwards he said: "The latest development should give the parents of Gloucestershire children new hope. I am delighted that the committee has received my proposal to make the fitting of seat belts mandatory in a most positive manner."

Coun Dare pointed out that parents taking children to school by car had to fit them with belts and he pointed out the likelihood of a future law on corporate manslaughter, which could leave the county at fault if a child without a seat belt were ever killed on a school bus.

Parents in the past have complained that the lack of seat belts was made worse by the metal grab rails fitted to seats on some buses, which they said were at the right height to strike a child in the face in any accident.

The issue will now be presented to an internal working group of councillors and a detailed report is likely to go before the full county council after the summer.

The costs for primary school transport are less than £140,000 and Mr Dare said: "If we phase this in over four years it is going to cost a minuscule amount of the education budget, which is approaching a quarter of a billion pounds."

He said he would like a seat belt rule extended to all school and college transport.