School transport provision in England is in crisis, an influential committee of MPs has claimed.

In its report published on Wednesday, the Commons transport select committee accused the government of taking a "leisurely approach" to reducing the number of cars on the school run.

It warned that draft legislation - under which local authorities will be able to pilot schemes aimed at cutting congestion - will not tackle the problem urgently enough.

Under the draft School Transport Bill, pilot schemes could run until 2011.

"School transport is in crisis and the effects are felt by everyone who needs to travel at peak time," MPs concluded.

"It is clear that something is wrong with school transport; the legislative framework is outdated; the services provided can be substandard; parents are increasingly choosing to increase congestion by driving their children to school, rather than choosing healthier modes of transport."

MPs criticised the standards of companies providing school transport, calling on ministers to set national minimum standards.

In some cases, buses used were up to 30 years old and often without seatbelts and suffered technical problems.

"The current system produces some school buses which are dangerous. This should not be allowed," said the report.

"It is clear that many authorities interpret 'best value' as lowest cost."

Liberal Democrats questioned the detail of the draft School Transport Bill.

"Legislation to combat the scourge of the school run is welcome, but the detail of the government's proposals must be questioned," said transport spokesman Paul Marsden.

"Charges for using school buses must not be levied on families that currently rely on the service.  That would only drive those families back into their cars and make the problem worse.

"If a national school bus scheme is to work, local authorities must be able to decide the best means of delivery for their area, and the government must ensure that the buses are designed to be accessible for everyone.

"Every school bus must also meet the rigorous safety standards of the Vehicle Inspectorate. Our children's lives should not be put at risk by unmaintained buses."