MPs may be clamouring for seat belts to be installed in school buses, but this won't be happening any time soon, say the various parties involved.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), which has been studying the issue since 2006, told The Sunday Times that it needs three to six months to consult safety experts and carry out studies before passing a new regulation on seat belts on buses.

'Implementation is likely to take longer. We need to give schools, parents and bus operators time to adjust to the changes. We want a smooth transition,' said Mr Jeremy Yap, LTA's group director for vehicle and transit licensing.

Asked why it has taken so long, he conceded that the recent accident that killed an eight-year-old boy has 'quickened the pace', but LTA's study has been ongoing since 2006. 'There was movement throughout. It wasn't forsaken.'

LTA will also look at how it can provide financial help to bus operators should a new law be passed.

The Singapore School Transport Association reiterated yesterday that making seat belts mandatory on school buses will reduce their seating capacity.

It will also affect bus operators' bottom line permanently and translate into higher bus fees for parents, said association chairman Wong Ann Lin, who added: 'I don't think parents are willing to pay up to 50 per cent more.'

MPs who plan to raise the seat-belt issue at the next Parliament sitting on May 26 had mixed views about the time the LTA has taken to do its study.

Sembawang GRC MP Lim Wee Kiak said it is understandable that LTA needs time to study the issue.

'As a government agency, LTA needs to consider all viewpoints. It is valid that legislation cannot be rushed,' he said.

But Aljunied GRC MP Cynthia Phua feels the law should be passed quickly. She said: 'I don't understand why LTA needs to study this issue further. Obviously, the only issue here is cost. The law should be passed quickly and then bus operators can be given some time to get seat belts installed.'

She also suggested that schools help low-income parents who cannot afford to pay more.

There is no requirement for seat belts on buses now, but public pressure has mounted since eight-year-old Russell Koh died last month after being flung out of a school bus. Last Monday, a 14-year-old student was hurt when his school bus, which has seat belts, rammed into a traffic light. He was not strapped in.

Last week, LTA held a briefing for The Sunday Times - which started a road safety drive last Sunday - to emphasise the complexity of the issue.

It said it needed time for its study - which will focus on minibuses with a seating capacity of no more than 15 - as there are many things to consider, such as whether to install lap belts or shoulder belts. Of the 2,665 buses ferrying schoolchildren, 1,160 are minibuses.

'If we focus only on installing seat belts without ensuring that it has the desired effect in terms of safety, we may end up being no better off,' said the LTA's Mr Yap.

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dawntan@sph.com.sg

More report: Strapping in the students: The costs and concerns