Many in “high places” seen to come out tops for making crass remarks on important topics. Others, have imposing names after their name. Some even bent down in front of royalty for “outstanding achievements”. A lot of us must have been mixing with the wrong people all these years.

But never fear, those of you of like mind will have earned a very important qualification few of the above show any signs of. Something that only comes from “belonging to the University of Common Sense”!

Allow me to elaborate. For several years, not only as a personal wish, but on behalf of all those who use buses, I have sought to gain support for the fitment of seat belts on vehicles which travel outside of the 30/40 mph limit, where legally it is permissible for 60 or more people to be totally insecure at speeds up to 62 mph. A frightening thought, but not for them!

Our current unelected government has no plans to introduce them, confirmed by two past Mi9nisters, who clearly don’t see the logic of so doing. Then again, there is nothing to prevent individual operators from fitting them, but when clearly your policy on this issue is “Profit before safety”, you’re going to have a very long wait at the bus stop before one, let alone three pieces of legislation come along at once, to make it happen.

I recently sought the views of my county council who operate services throughout, following a local item of publicity on the matter. A “gem” of a reply from its commercial director stated that they had given the matter “due consideration”, but will not review the position until a “reasonable body of evidence becomes available”. I reminded him that it was in the late 60’s that this “body of evidence” led to the introduction of seat belts to be fitted as standard on cars in the early 70’s.

Coincidentally, on the same day, an article in a local newspaper saw the deputy leader seeking to justify huge salaries; the article claiming 400 of their staff were receiving more than £50K per annum, costing the council tax payer £26 million. Real value for money with minds like that, eh? You couldn’t make it up……..

Linking this example to the ‘Wally’s’ in this wooden home world, and their ‘pals’ in the corridors of power, who’ve also missed much of their “schooling” in the University of Common Sense, goes a long way towards explaining that we too have been waiting for decades now - just for a SINGLE sheet of legislation to contain a grain of meaningful and enforceable protection for ourselves. Don’t ring the bell yet, its still a very long way down the road..

Compiled for PHRAA by Colin Packman President. February 2009.