'Parents And Children Think The Walking Bus Is Brilliant'


Published on 07/11/2006

WALKING BUSES are operated by many primary schools across Cumbria as a
safer way for children to get to and from classes.

A walking bus is a supervised group of children who walk to or from
school with at least two adult volunteers, who act as a 'driver' and a
'conductor' and es cort the children. Everyone wears high-visibility
clothing.

The bus follows a set route and 'walks' to a published timetable.
Children can join or leave at set points and times along the route. Each
driver should have a register of students who use their bus on each day.
Parents are expected to wait with their children for the bus to arrive.

The decision on when and where a walking bus operates is left to the
school and volunteers; it doesn't have to operate morning and afternoon,
or even every day.

Walking buses depend totally on support from volunteers.

Children who walk to school on a walking bus are part of a large and
visible group. This reassures parents who are concerned about letting
their children walk on their own.

The walking bus helps children learn pedestrian skills so that when they
begin to walk on their own they are better equipped to deal with
traffic.

Walking Buses have been set up for the first time in Cumbria through a
partnership with News & Star parenting magazine Your Kids and county
council teams Better ways to School and Safer Roads for Cumbria.

Lazonby School near Penrith has been organising a Walking Bus for about
six months. It operates on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for about 18
of the school's 65 pupils.

Headteacher Rod Rogers said: "Parents and children think it's brilliant.
They love it. It's a very valuable road safety tool as it teaches the
children the proper way to cross roads.

"Visibility around the school can be poor because of all the parked cars
and so it's vital that they know what to do.

"It's also good in terms of exercise and reducing the number of cars on
the road."

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