Stuart Cunningham-Jones died in December

Friends and family of Stuart Cunningham-Jones, who died when his bus left the road and hit a tree questioned Welsh Assembly candidates on how school journeys can be made safer.

Stuart was on a double-decker carrying 75 pupils home from Cowbridge Comprehensive School where it crashed in Ystradowen in December.

People living in the Vale of Glamorgan village, where Stuart lived, have founded "Stuart's Campaign" to lobby for tighter school bus safety restrictions.

They invited the candidates for the Vale of Glamorgan assembly seat to a public meeting to hear what they would do to support their cause.

Alyson Mudd's son Elliot was sitting near Stuart

Alyson Mudd, whose son Elliot was sitting next to Stuart on the night of his death, said: "It was a horrendous day and I will never forget it."

"I think a lot of the electorates don't realise how many children are being transported to and from school in old buses. Buses without seatbelts and overcrowding."

Another parent, Alison Harding said: "It is very, very worrying if you are a parent of any child travelling to and from school on school-provided transport.

My children don't feel safe travelling on there and they are scared to go on there Hugh Bunkham, parent

"You worry when they leave the house in the morning - you expect them to get to school and from school safely," she added.

Father-of-two Hugh Bunkham said: "The law needs changing. There are a lot of dangerous issues out of travelling on the bus.

"My children don't feel safe travelling on there and they are scared to go on there."

The candidates addressed the villagers involved in Stuart's Campaign at the village hall in Ystradowen.

Labour candidate Jane Hutt said about the campaign: "We have done work over the last four years in terms of safer routes to school, trying to get the 20-mile-an-hour limit but it is clear that we need to have a thorough review about the legislation and regulations of school transport.

Alison Harding's son Matthew was friends with Stuart

"We are committed to that - I am. I have already raised the issue of the safety of school transport.

"We need to have a thorough review and back Stuart's Campaign," she said.

Plaid Cymru's Chris Franks said: "It's clear that the school transport system is often characterised by old, poor quality vehicles and frequently poorly-paid staff.

"These vehicles almost by definition will not have factory-installed seat belts and Plaid Cymru is calling for the reintroduction of bus grants that could help fund and improve the standard of vehicles."

Nilmini De Silva, the Liberal Democrat candidate, said her party's manifesto had a clear commitment to safe school transport, with money ring-fenced for community transport.

"I am sure a way can be found to amalgamate these two policies and see that safe community transport can perhaps be used to take children to school maybe and then used to take elderly people and other people around during the day," she said.

Villagers attended the meeting

"I think that is a potential solution we can have for this problem."

Conservative candidate David Melding said: "Accidental death is the biggest killer of young people and it's very important that we have a comprehensive strategy to reduce these tragic deaths.