SAFETY campaigners have accused local authorities of failing to practice what they preach over the safety of children travelling to and from school.

Local authorities have backed a national campaign to encourage parents to ensure children wear seatbelts in cars.

But the same councils also contract out buses to transport children to and from school which are not properly fitted with secure safety belts.

Both Darlington Borough and North Yorkshire County councils backed the campaign but also provide vehicles which are not fitted with seatbelts.

A spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, said: "We would hope that these local authorities would be doing their best to ensure that seatbelts are worn at all times, whether in a car or in a bus.

"We would like to see local authorities practice what they preach and ensure the vehicles used on their school run are fitted with seatbelts."

The Northern Echo's seatbelt campaign was launched after children at Bishopton and Redmarshall Primary School, between Stockton and Darlington, raised concerns over travelling to swimming lessons on a bus without belts.

Sue Whitcombe, parent governor at the school, said: "If the council sees belting up as an issue they should stipulate that in the contracts they have with bus companies."

But a Darlington Borough Council spokesman said there was no legal requirement to fit seatbelts on buses, as there was on cars.

He said: "It is not hypocrisy. We would urge parents to travel safely, for themselves and for their children."

He said the authority spent about £750,000 a year on transporting children to and from school and it could cost another £200,000 to ensure all vehicles are fitted with safety belts.

Richard Owens, passenger transport manager for North Yorkshire County Council, said all new contracts to transport primary age children included a condition that seatbelts were fitted to the vehicles provided, although this did not apply to some existing contracts.

He said: "There are practical issues, although these can be overcome by money, but the evidence is that our home to school transport is very safe."

Read more about the seatbelts campaign here.