Abbott axes bush bus seatbelt program

A federal scheme to provide seatbelts for school buses in rural and regional areas has been dumped to save $1 million.

The measure was mentioned by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in his budget reply speech on Thursday night as an example of unfair government cuts which should be reversed.

The Seatbelts on Regional School Buses program was created by the former coalition government to improve safety on long-distance bus rides.

In the six years to February 2014 it funded seatbelts on 412 buses.

But the scheme, which has previously been praised by coalition MPs, will close on July 1 following Tuesday's budget.

Labor transport spokesman Anthony Albanese said it was an "absurd decision to end a scheme which has almost certainly saved lives".

The government's total road safety budget will be cut from $25.4 million last year to $18.7 million in 2018/19.