Fourteen new buses were unveiled by Transport Minister Ewart Brown yesterday, complete with special safety features that were deemed necessary after six-year-old Tyaisha Cox was killed while crossing a street last summer.

"Manufactured in Germany by Goppel and in Holland by Berkhof, the buses ... are a slight departure from our traditional PTB buses," Dr. Brown said on the steps of City Hall yesterday, flanked by seniors, members of Tyaisha's family, and Tyaisha's entire class, the Primary Two class at Victor Scott Primary.

"These new vehicles are more environmentally friendly, meeting the Euro Three Emissions Regulations, which simply mean that they are cleaner on our environment.

"In addition, the buses come complete with the comforts of air conditioning as well as having single step entry. You will also note that one of these new buses are a bit shorter in height compared to our current fleet."

The 14 new buses maintain the current fleet at 106 buses. They allow for 38 people seated, and 50 including standing room.

"But ... for the first time in the history of Bermuda's PTB, these new buses have a very special feature, which will go a long way in providing for the safety of the commuting public," Dr. Brown continued.

"The 14 new buses come complete with safety lights that flash and signal when passengers are embarking and disembarking from the vehicle.

"This will notify motorists travelling behind the bus that they should stop in order to allow commuters safe passage when crossing the street.

"We believe that this is an all-important feature that was desperately needed, particularly in light of last summer's events when six-year old Tyaisha Cox was senselessly killed while crossing the pedestrian crossing near the Purvis Primary School.

"Young Tyaisha was on her way to summer camp that day when she was struck by a car after disembarking a bus. On this occasion today, I am pleased to have with me the classmates of Tyaisha Cox."

The Ministry is considering legislation to ensure people do stop behind buses when those lights are flashing, Transport permanent secretary Marc Telemaque said yesterday.

For now, however, it is the Ministry's view that drivers should be responsible and pay attention, exercising caution in those situations, he said.

It is understood that the woman driving the car which hit Tyaisha will be charged in Magistrates' Court soon.

"The circumstances surrounding Tyaisha's untimely death saw the need for a comprehensive review of the overall safety of all of Government's school zones," Dr. Brown said.

"You will recall that earlier this year a specially formed committee put forth recommendations addressing school zone safety, which we anticipate will be enacted into legislation. The introduction of these new buses are in keeping with the recommendations."

Mr. Telemaque did not give further details of what the recommendations entailed. However he said the intention of the committee was to find how to clearly mark out zones within school areas where such traffic controls as decreased speed limits can be implemented to increase pedestrian safety.

The controls would be similar to those set up in the United States, he said, though altered to be suitable for Bermuda.

Mr. Telemaque was unable to say when the legislation itself will be enacted, saying officers at both the Ministry of Works and Engineering and the Ministry of Education were involved in the process.