HUNDREDS more children are to get greater protection on the way to and from school in the wake of a Northern Echo campaign.

Two more local authorities in the North-East have revealed they are pressing ahead with plans to switch to seatbelt-only vehicles when transport contracts come up for renewal.

The move leaves just two councils in the region - Hartlepool and York - where there will be no requirement for belts to be fitted on vehicles carrying primary age children to school.

Now safety campaigners are stepping up the pressure to try to ensure children get the same protection across the region.

Fears over safety on school vehicles prompted The Northern Echo to launch its School Seatbelts Scandal campaign last year, backed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the Belt Up School Kids (Busk) group.

Busk founder Pat Harris said local authorities which failed to supply properly-fitted belts on school vehicles were putting children's safety at risk.

She said: "It is a proven fact that seatbelts reduce injuries and save lives. Local authorities have a duty of care to ensure the transport they hire for children is suitable and safe."

Earlier this year, North Yorkshire County Council and Darlington Borough Council announced they were switching to seatbelt-only vehicles for all primary children. Now Durham County Council and Stockton Borough Council are to follow suit.

Durham's Cabinet member for education, Councillor Brian Walker, said: "A lot of the vehicles we use do have seatbelts, but not all of them as yet.

"We're working with the contractors to have seatbelts fitted and I would hope it would be achieved within a couple of years. We want to make sure all our children travel safely."

Stockton's Cabinet member for education, Councillor Alex Cunningham, said all vehicles taking children to and from school would have seatbelts, from September 2002.

He said: "We need to be showing a lead to the community and if it does cost more money I think it is a price worth paying."

Hartlepool Borough Council's education Cabinet member, Councillor Brian Littlefair, said safety concerns would be an issue in an on-going examination of school transport.

A York City Council spokesman said it had no plans to review its policy of not insisting that seatbelts are fitted on school vehicles.

Read more about the seatbelt campaign here.