Pupils demonstrate 'sitting comfortably' two to a seat

BBC Wales, with help from volunteers at Lewis Pengam School in Bargoed, put the law to the test.

Head teacher Dr Chris Howard has more than a professional interest in the issue of school bus transport.

His daughter Bethan was a passenger on the bus which crashed in Ystradowen in December 2002, killing Stuart, and injuring 30 others, including her.

He has joined Stuart's Campaign - parents fighting to improve safety standards on school transport, including scrapping the so-called three-for-two rule.

The rules allows three schoolchildren aged 14 or under to sit on a seat designed for two adults.

...but with three per seat, it becomes 'dangerously overcrowded'

Using a double-decker bus with a seating capacity for 76 adults, 131 pupils at Lewis Pengam School demonstrated the difference it makes when the three-for-two rule was applied.

When the seats were filled with two pupils each - all carrying full school bags - the bus appeared comfortably full already.

Then extra students got on, putting three bodies on each seat.

Dr Howard said: "We've used the regulations and we've actually got 131 pupils of 14 and below on this typical bus and it's obvious what will happen.

"The seats become desperately overcrowded.

"It doesn't take too much to understand that with pupils crowded and standing in the aisle, and with pupils literally fighting over the seats, disorder can very quickly occur.

It doesn't take too much to understand that with pupils crowded and standing in the aisle, and with pupils literally fighting over the seats, disorder can very quickly occur Head teacher Chris Howard

"When that happens of course, the driver's driving the bus and most commonly there is no-one else to try and keep order.

"The law does need changing. It's the regulations being set at this ridiculously low level which allow councils to say legally we only have to provide this level [of service]."

Pupils worried about the current rules have also spoken about the need for change.

One boy said: "As we've seen with Stuart dying, it could happen to one of the people in my school and it could be my friend or one of my family. It's terrible."

Another commented: "It's overcrowded on the seat. We're not children any more, we're growing up and we're bigger- we're adult size now."

And a third added: "Someone should be put on the bus to keep the kids under control and make sure the driver doesn't get distracted."