28/03/2013

Call For 'Clapped Out' Buses To Undergo Rigurous Testing

Dublin Bay North Labour TD, Seán Kenny, has called on the Minister for Transport, Leo Varadkar, to ensure that buses undergo rigorous vehicle testing.

This follows the guilty verdict given against a vehicle testing company for the breaching of health and safety laws in relation to the testing of a school bus.

Mr Kenny said: "The bus was involved in a fatal crash almost seven years ago, when it went out of control on a bog road outside Clara in Co Offaly, in April 2006. The back axle came away and the bus flipped over. A fifteen year old boy was under the bus and died from catastrophic injuries.

"In the case, the jury returned not guilty verdicts on three of the four counts relating to the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act in connection with the inspection of the bus, but the company failed in its duty of care to fail to note the modified rear suspension in the vehicle.

"I am calling on the Minister for Transport to ensure that all buses carrying children are tested fully, and 'clapped out' buses are removed from the road and scrapped. We cannot allow these sorts of accidents to happen again."

(CD)

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