Bus death inquest (From Barry And District News)

Bus death inquest

THE INQUEST into the death of Cowbridge Comprehen-sive pupil Stuart Cunningham-Jones opened on Tuesday, January 13.

The court heard that a pupil was playing with the bus controls moments before the crash. The driver was due to give evidence on Wednesday.

Stuart was just yards from his home town of Ystradowen when the double decker school bus he was travelling on left the road and crashed into a tree, killing the 12-year-old instantly in December 2002.

A spokesman for the vale of Glamorgan Council said: "The council remains greatly saddened by the death of Stuart Cunningham-Jones. The authority is committed to ensuring that such an event does not happen again.

"The council is always conscious of its responsibilities in terms of school transport and indeed in its other functions. Even before this tragedy, the council had produced a booklet outlining the roles and responsibilities for all those responsible for, and using, school transport.

"This document and any other documents and practices will be reviewed in the light of any findings from the coroner's inquest."

The bus was carrying 70 passengers at the time of the accident and several other children were injured.

The jury inquest at Cardiff Coroner's Court is due to last up to four days. No criminal charges have been brought.