Council considers call for school bus winter tyres

Calls for school buses in Aberdeenshire to be fitted with winter tyres will be heard next year by the council's education committee.

A petition from parents in rural Aberdeenshire has demanded school buses, minibuses and taxis in the Marr area are fitted with winter or all-season tyres due to harsh weather conditions.

It comes after councillors on the local area committee were told on Tuesday that in the last year there had been nine incidents where school transport vehicles had skidded off the road in wintry weather.

It is thought the new tyres would cost about £800,000.

It was suggested that new terms and conditions could be agreed for the next round of school transport contracts.

The matter had been brought to the Marr area committee, but it was agreed the issue would be better handled by the education committee.

The petition calling for the tyres to be installed said "some of the school bus routes in Strathdon rise to 1,400ft (420m) with gradients of up to 16%, many are single track and do not get regular grit treatment."

Geva Blackett, who chairs the committee, said there were many unanswered questions, like whether Aberdeenshire Council would be responsible for all the costs.

She said: "Some of the operators are using their vehicles for other work outside of the council.

"So should the whole cost of any extra be included - the education committee needs to discuss this."