On board the walking bus to cut car use
Pupils took a ‘walking bus’ to school to champion healthy transport on Clean Air Day.
The action came as Combe Down Primary raised “major concerns” about road safety and air pollution at the school - particularly at drop-off and pick-up times.
Headteacher Jane Gascoigne says she wants to slash surrounding traffic by half.
The school’s teachers, pupils, parents and carers have been working together to tackle traffic issues head-on with a week-long environmental and safety awareness drive.
It has been hosting road safety and clean air-themed assemblies; unveiling a poster exhibition created by pupils to promote safer speeds and sensible parking; inviting all teachers, parents and children to sign a pledge committing to an ongoing reduction in the use of cars to and from school.
Parents and teachers assembled a walking bus of pupils and it was joined by meningitis survivor Harmonie-rose Allen in her wheelchair and classmates on scooters.
The school said it worked closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council to find a route with maximum potential to scoop up as many pupils along the way as possible. It provided a safe way for children to walk to school.
The school said it hoped the bus would reinforce the habit of walking for shorter journeys.
A walking bus is a form of transport for children who, chaperoned by parent volunteers, walk to school and back at a set time along a set route, in much the same way that a school bus would drive them to and from it.
Ms Gascoigne said: “Our goal is to cut traffic around the school at all times by at least 50 per cent and encourage safer speeds and considerate parking by those who continue to use their cars.
“Working together we aim to deliver educational and practical activities to make the air cleaner and the roads safer for the whole community.”
B&NES Council school travel plan officer Alasdair Yule said: “National Clean Air Day is an opportunity for all schools locally to participate in activities which make an impact on concerns around child health and wellbeing.
“It’s great to see Combe Down Primary taking positive action to address the issues around school traffic at drop-off and pick-up, and the walking bus is an easy to implement initiative that can become a permanent feature of school life.”