New grants to encourage 'walking buses'

The scheme gives money for 'walking buses' and other walking initiatives in primary schools.

A walking bus is a group of children who walk a safety-checked, set route to school in the morning. They are supervised by trained, police-cleared volunteers.

There are currently 23 primary schools with walking buses in the county and it is expected that these grants will nearly triple that figure.

Cllr Matthew Lock, lead cabinet member for transport and environment, said: 'This funding will help more children keep fit and healthy and will cut congestion and pollution around their schools. This sort of initiative plays an important part in the wider battle against global warming and I look forward to seeing many more children walking to school across the county.'

The Department for Transport grants of 1,000 a year will be paid in annual instalments for three years to the schools that want to set up walking buses. A smaller grant of 500 will be paid to schools that wanted to set up an alternative walking initiative.

Once adult supervisors and possible routes have been identified by schools, the County Council will begin the essential preparation for the initiatives, such as risk assessing routes, training volunteers, providing free tabards and securing insurance.

It is hoped that several new walking buses will be launched in time for Walk to School week next month.