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WALKING BUSES

What is a walking bus?

Trained, CRB-checked adults (‘drivers’ and ‘conductors’) collect children from parents/carers at set points (‘bus stops’), and follow a risk-assessed route to the school. Buses can run morning and afternoon or either. By following the IWC Guidelines (see below), volunteers will be covered by the IWC’s Public and Employers Liability insurance policy.

How can schools set up a walking bus?

Download the IWC Walking Bus Guidelines below, which are based on the Department for Transport’s recommendations
Ascertain the level of support from parents/carers – you could use the Parent Survey form (see below), or amend it to suit your school
Ask the School Travel Plan Advisor for the postcode map of where your pupils live, for route planning
Apply for risk assessment of the route by the IWC Road Safety and Traffic Management team
Complete the generic Risk Assessment form (see below)
Arrange for volunteers to be CRB checked and trained


		IWC Walking Bus Guidelines

Following these guidelines will enable volunteers to be covered by the IWC’s Employers and Public Liability insurance.

Risk Assessment

Both the route, and the operation of the walking bus, will require risk assessment. The route must be risk assessed by a competent person – the IWC’s Road Safety and Traffic Management Team can help.

The risk assessment of the operation of the walking bus is the responsibility of the headteacher/governors of the school. A generic form is available here for download, and should be amended to reflect the specific situation and conditions of the school.


		Risk Assessment form

Surveys

You could use these forms, amended as you wish, to ascertain the level of support for the walking bus


		Parent Survey form

		Pupil Survey Form

Walking buses are not the solution for our school. What can we do?

How about trying Park & Stride, where parents/carers park in an IWC car park for free, using the permit available from the School Travel Plan Advisor, or alternatively in a car park with the agreement of the landowner. This scheme operates at the following schools and car parks already:-


All Saints Primary		Moa Place
Brading Primary		Wheatsheaf
Carisbrooke Primary		Victoria Recreation Ground/Eight Bells
Gatten & Lake Primary		Winchester House
Greenmount Primary		Green Street
Hunnyhill Primary		B&Q
Newport CE Primary		Victoria Recreation Ground/Sainsburys
Nine Acres Primary		Chapel Street
Shalfleet Primary		Horse & Groom
St Boniface Primary		High Street Ventnor
St Johns Primary		Station Avenue
St Saviours Primary		Moa Place
St Thomas Primary		Eight Bells
Yarmouth Primary		River Road
Archbishop King Middle		Carpetright, Eight Bells, Victoria Rec
Downside Middle		Coppins Bridge
Nodehill Middle		Chapel Street
Trinity Middle		Carpetright, Eight Bells, Victoria Rec
Carisbrooke High		Carpetright
Priory School		Vernon Meadows
Ryde School		Victoria Street

Park Away is another idea where parents/carers park away from the school and walk with their children from there. Parents/carers could park in each other’s, a friend’s or a relative’s drive and walk together from there – but please obtain permission first!

The School Travel Plan Advisor is happy to assist with any ideas the school may have to reduce car use to the school site.

Contacts

School Travel Plan Advisor – Helen Stichbury
823099 x 5735
Helen.Stichbury@iow.gov.uk

Road Safety – Rebecca Tuck
823777
Rebecca.tuck@iow.gov.uk

Risk Assessment and Insurance – Rod Warne
821000 x 3265
Rod.Warne@iow.gov.uk


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