Opposition politicians have been urged to join forces with the Scottish Government to persuade Westminster to devolve legislation on the proper use of school bus safety signs to Holyrood.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said the move was “crucial” to ensure that all vehicles carrying pupils across Scotland were operating to the same standards.
He said he was disappointed that north-east Liberal Democrat MSP Alison McInnes and Highland Conservative MSP Mary Scanlon appeared unwilling to lobby their party colleagues who make up the UK Government.
North-east campaigner Ron Beaty wants all bus drivers across Scotland to put signs on display when they are carrying children and take them down when the vehicle is not being used for that purpose.
The Gardenstown man started campaigning in 2004 when his granddaughter, Erin, was left wheelchair-bound after she was knocked down after getting off a bus.
Mr Beaty said he fully supported a cross-party campaign to persuade Westminster to act because not all school buses used in Aberdeenshire were properly displaying signs.
“Keith Brown is probably doing all that he can but it seems like the Scottish Government’s hands are tied,” he added.
Speaking in a debate led by Stewart Stevenson, SNP MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Ms Scanlon said school bus safety “should be the same in Shetland, Shettleston, Elgin and Edinburgh”
“It is disappointing that so little progress has been made since Ron Beaty began his campaign almost a decade ago,” she added.
Ms McInnes said parents “rightly expect” their children to be safe on school buses and operators had a duty of care.
Mr Brown said the government was “unwavering” in its efforts to keep children safe and best practice guidance on school bus safety was issued to all councils in 2010.
He said high-visibility signs would be trialled on certain school buses in Glasgow as part of a pilot scheme to build on similar work carried out by Aberdeenshire Council a few years ago.
Mr Brown said: “Mary Scanlon and Alison McInnes have challenged the government to do more, and I accept that, but I did not hear from either of them that they would support further devolution of powers to Scotland.
“If we had the consensus in the parliament to do that I think it would make a stronger case for the UK Government to devolve these powers.”