Challenge HomeWhat is a walking bus?
A walking bus is a fun, healthy, safe and sustainable way of travelling to school.
‘Buses’ operate along set routes, picking up children at pre-arranged points. Parents take turns to escort the column of children to school.
Everyone involved wears high-visibility tabards provided free by our project. Adults involved are police-checked and routes approved by the council.
Because of concerns over obesity levels in children and their lack of road safety skills, as well as the issue of growing traffic congestion, walking buses are attracting considerable interest from government.
Just like a real bus we even have a ‘driver’, ‘conductor’ and an option to ‘park and stride’.
Advice on offer
There is a great deal of support and advice available to schools and parent groups to help get walking buses started and to keep them operating.
Both Kent County Council and Medway Council can provide step by step advice, as can the Project Officers working for this charity. The Kent and Medway Charity Team, alongside KCC and Medway Council, launch and support walking buses. Kent County Council and Medway Council have their own operating guidelines for their parts of the county.
We recommend you take a look at our two briefing packs. Hop on Board details the benefits for families to join the walking bus and should be issued to every family considering joining the scheme. First Steps is the full handbook required by lead parents or school staff.
Complete the enquiry form below to receive digital copies of both publications.
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