Initiatives

A walking bus is a group of children, walking to school with at least two parent volunteers. Parents take it in turns, on a rota basis, to walk with the children. There is always a 'driver' who leads the bus, and a 'conductor' who walks at the back. The more children there are on the bus, the more adults walk with them.

Children who already walk to school can participate as well as children who currently travel short journeys to and from school by car. Children who live too far to walk all the way can be driven to the start of the walking bus. Walking buses are ideal for everyone.

Where to find help

If you would like to set up a walking bus for your school, or if you would like to know if your school has any walking buses in operation, you can use our enquiry form to contact the team.

How is the walking bus scheme set up

A member of the Safe and Sustainable Travel Team assists with all aspects of setting up the walking bus. This includes:

• Risk assessing the route
• Meeting with interested parents and providing all the necessary paperwork
• If needed, attending assemblies and provide small prizes, in order to maintain interest in the walking bus

The benefits:

For children

• get plenty of fresh air and exercise
• have the chance to chat to their friends before school starts
• get a sense of responsibility that they are doing their bit for the environment
• arrive at school more alert and ready to work

For parents and carers

• usually get at least one day off from the school run
• also get fresh air and exercise
• know that their children will be safe on the way to school

For schools

• have fewer cars outside the school gates
• benefit from having children who are more ready to work

Walk Once a Week schemes involve children walking, either on a set day of the week, or at least one day a week. Some schools have created their own versions of this scheme, for example 'Trek to School Tuesday' or 'Foot Power Friday'. Living Streets run a Walk on Wednesday/Walk Once a Week scheme. Children can collect badges and certificates, more information can be found on the Living Streets website.

Walk to School Week is a national event that takes place annually in May. During this week, schools are encouraged to promote sustainable modes of travel, particularly walking all or part of the way to school.

There is also an International Walk to School Month, which takes place in October every year.

More information can be found on the Living Streets website.

This is a two part scheme covering theory and practical. The scheme is for year 3 and 4 children and is designed to do the following:

• increase their knowledge and understanding of the road environment
• to prepare them to be independent road users
• encourage parents to walk to school with their children
• reduce traffic congestion at the school gate

Cycle training is available to all schools in two parts: a basic cycle skills course including knowledge of the traffic environment delivered within the school and an on-road cycle training course delivered to pupils in years 5 to 9, and adults.

For more information contact our Safe and Sustainable Travel Team using our form below.

Park and Stride schemes are aimed at children who live too far away from school to walk all the way. The scheme allows the following:

• parents to drop their children off at a distance away from the school, rather than driving all the way to school
• schools can ask a local pub or shop for permission to use their car park as a drop off point
• schools can draw up a map, with a mile radius marked on it, and parents agree to park outside this radius and walk the rest of the way with their children

Car sharing involves giving a lift to someone who lives close by or on the way to or from school. Schemes can be formal, where the school holds a database of parents who are willing to car share, or informal arrangements between parents.

We can come into school to deliver assemblies. This is to help children learn about sustainable travel to school. The most popular assembly is;

Dipzy assembly - an assembly about parking. Children are encouraged to think about why parking is not acceptable in certain places, and take the message home to their parents.

We also deliver assemblies to children explaining the following:

• school travel plan
• walking bus
• walking to school schemes or events happening in school