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Walking Bus
Starting ...
 If you are a parent ask around other parents to see if there is enough interest. Then approach your school as you will need their support. Contact your local authority School Travel Plan officers or Road Safety team as they will be able to offer support, advice and training. The information we give on this web site will also help but it is intended to supplement, rather than replace, the information from your local authority.
You will need a keen parent or team to start it up, co-ordinate it, keep it going and promote it to parents, children and the community.
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Parent-Accompanied Walking Bus
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This is an ideal way to get started quickly and get parents and children used to the concept.
Parents are responsible for their own children. Everyone meets at a pre-arranged time and walks to school together. More people join the Walking Bus just because they see it, they are going that way anyway and the children want to join the others. No commitment is required. No forms need to be filled in. No volunteers are needed.
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The only thing you need to do is round up a few people in your neighbourhood and arrange to walk to school together. A crowd attracts a crowd and before you know it you will have a Walking Bus.
Meanwhile you can work on the requirements for a volunteer-accompanied Walking Bus. By the time this is launched many parents and children will be so used to walking as a group that volunteers should be easy to find. Parents will then have the option of walking with the group or leaving their children to walk safely with volunteers.
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Volunteer-Accompanied Walking Bus
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You need to fulfil certain criteria to start a volunteer-accompanied Walking Bus scheme. All volunteers need to be police checked, given basic training and registered. The routes used need to be assessed and approved by a Road Safety Officer. All participants; children, volunteers and parents need to sign agreements. All volunteers and children taking part wear high visibility clothing such as a reflective fluorescent tabard or waistcoat. Everyone needs to be given information about how the Walking Bus works (procedures). The scheme needs to be insured, most local authorities will arrange this.
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In reality it takes a while to set this all up. If parents are keen to get started it is a shame to delay it. So why not start with a parent-accompanied walking bus?
Top Tips for Success
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