TAUNTON Conservative spokesman Mark Formosa, has unveiled plans by his party to create an American-style national schools bus service as part of a green transport commitment.

Mr Formosa says he is fully supportive of the plans, which the Conservatives plan to implement if they get into power at the next General Election.

He said: "A school bus service here in Taunton Deane would do wonders for cutting pollution here, and would also prevent much of the congestion we face on local roads every day which is made worse by school run traffic.

"Everybody must have noticed the big increase in traffic in Taunton when schools resumed after the Easter holidays recently.

"Just think how much less congestion there would be in Taunton and on other roads throughout the deane if every day was like a school holiday as far as traffic was concerned."

Mark Formosa said although the scheme would be similar to the American one, it would be refined to meet the very different local conditions in this country.

Mr Formosa said: "The school bus service would be part of a national framework but would be organised through local operational control."

He said other green transport policies for schools would be decided at a local level.