Largs man Harvey Green has written to the 'News' calling for seatlbelts to be used on buses.

Harvey wrote: "The horrific bus /car accident near Hunterston was a tragedy for those involved. It has also highlighted the unsuitability of the vehicles being used for town to town services by Stagecoach, McGills and others.

These buses have no seatbelts fitted. There are no head restraints fitted on seats. Seat back tops are solid metal rails and many seats face long open areas of the vehicle, such as the pop down seats in the wheelchair areas and seats set part way up the stepped area where they are virtual catapult launchers in any sudden deceleration event.

These buses were designed for use in urban areas where speeds rarely reach even 30 mph but the schedules require the drivers to proceed at or near to road speed limits to maintain timekeeping so operate at 50mph plus on many stretches.

This is no criticism of the drivers who do a difficult job with great skill, but we as passengers are exposed to unacceptable risks whenever we travel on these ill-designed buses.

If I were to allow  passengers in my car to travel without seatbelts on  or with unsafe seating I would be prosecuted, so why are these buses exempt from the same rules?

Who will join with me to see these buses replaced with more suitable and safer vehicles?"