Girl injury prompts school change
A Gwynedd secondary school where a pupil was in collision with a school bus is bringing in new rules on school transport.
Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen pupils in Caernarfon will be separated into pedestrians, and those using buses.
The changes come after a review following the latest incident when the 16-year-old girl was hurt on 10 May.
A local councillor, whose niece was injured outside the school, welcomed the changes.
Gwynedd Council reviewed the system outside the school after the 16-year-old girl was in collision with a bus after school finished.
She was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital in Bangor, but was not seriously injured.
A letter has been sent home with all pupils stating a 'recent survey' was carried out "on the traffic situation at the end of the school day".
As a result changes will be implemented on 6 June, after the half-term holiday.
It means all children travelling home on a bus have to leave by a different exit than those who walk home.
There will also be no-parking zones outside the school, and buses will only stop in one lay-by.
Bus drivers will also be "told to check with school staff on duty before leaving the bus stop".
Gwynedd councillor, Tudor Owen, who is a former governor at the school said he welcomed the changes.
Mr Owen's niece is one of the three accidents which happened outside the school in the past five years.
"She suffered serious head injuries and she spent quite a few weeks in hospital, and a metal plate was fitted in her skull," he said.
"She is better now, but it could have been much worse, so anything to prevent it happening again is welcome," he added.
A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said the safety of pupils in all Gwynedd schools is of "paramount importance to the council".
The new rules are "aimed at keeping pupils away from moving vehicles at the end of the school day".
All pupils, parents and bus operators have been informed of the new arrangements and school staff will be on duty to ensure that pupils get on the buses safely, the spokesperson added.