Call for 'age limit' on school buses after Meath fire

There has been a call for an upper age limit on school buses after a fire broke out on a school bus in Co Meath this morning.

There has been a call for an upper age limit on school buses after a fire broke out on a school bus in Co Meath this morning.

Fine Gael said that if buses were not good enough to take adults to work, they should not be used to bring children to school.

The 44-seater DAF vehicle was en route from the bus station in Drogheda, Co Louth, to Garristown, when the driver noticed an "unusual smell", a spokeswoman for Bus Éireann said.

"The bus left Drogheda at 7.30am to pick up students to bring them to a selection of schools in Drogheda. At around 7.45am at Cushentown, Kilmoon Cross, the driver noticed an unusual smell and stopped to investigate."

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A fire had broken out in the back axle of the bus, and the driver attempted to contain it but was not successful, the spokeswoman said.

The bus was registered in 1993.

The Garda and other emergency services were called and the fire was brought under control. The driver of the bus was uninjured and did not need to go to hospital.

"The matter is under investigation and the bus has been removed from the scene to our headquarters at Broadstone for technical examination," the spokeswoman added. "We have not yet established the cause of the fire."

The spokeswoman said the company had made alternative arrangements for the students, some of whom are understood to be taking exams today.

Fine Gael transport spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell called on the Minister for Transport to set an upper age limit for public buses following this morning's fire.

"Just what does it take for the Department of Transport to accept that old buses are dangerous buses?

"It is completely unacceptable to use buses on school routes when they are considered too old and unsuitable for commuter services. If a bus isn’t good enough to take adults to work, then under no circumstances can it be good enough to take our children to school," Ms Mitchell said.

"Minister Martin Cullen must set an upper age limit for all public buses to ensure that no-one, whether they are going to school or to work, is carried in a dangerous and substandard vehicle. He must also take immediate steps to speed up the renewal of the entire school bus fleet.

"If today’s fire had take place 30 minutes later when the bus was packed with school children, it could have been catastrophic. Thankfully, the driver was not injured."