Letter: Lessons to be learnt from minibus crash

Sir: The demands for seat belts on coaches will seem an unimaginable luxury to many thousands of schoolchildren from rural areas.

Under present legislation, children up to and including 14 years of age travel to school sitting or, more accurately, perching, three to a seat. On my daughter's coach there are 20 arms and legs braced across the aisle at each bend in the road. Bags of books, PE kit, musical instruments and cookery experiments are piled on laps.

The final effect is rather like a cattle truck on its way to market.

Yours faithfully,

PENNY KING

Thurlton, Norwich