More than 20 regional centers will benefit from the Seatbelts for Kids initiative, Labor says.
March 16, 2012
Bus-catching school kids in more than 20 regional centers will benefit from the Federal Government’s Seatbelts for Kids initiative, according to Labor.
Infrastructure and Transport Parliamentary Secretary Catherine King
announced today
that
the government will deliver a further $488,000 to 23 regional operators to upgrade 29 more eligible buses in round nine of the program.
“Nearly half a million dollars will be provided to bus operators in the latest round of this program to improve safety on regional school buses,” King says.
“This takes the total number of buses with seatbelts fitted under the Seatbelts for Kids initiative to over 250, transporting thousands of children safely to school in regional centers each week day.”
Under the program, operators of bus services on a recognized rural and regional school bus route applied for up to $25,000 to have seatbelts installed in new buses or retrofitted in existing buses.
She says Government has provided more than $4.1 million in five years to install seatbelts and improve kids’ safety on regional school buses.
King says the program encourages bus operators on high risk routes to equip buses with seatbelts.
“What is encouraging is the amount of community support and encouragement we are hearing from operators,” she says.
“The Government is committed to working with business and industry to provide safer roads and safe vehicles for the Australian communities.”
“Seatbelts for Kids is part of the Australian Government’s contribution to the National Road Safety Strategy, aiming to reduce death and serious injuries on our roads.”