Walking School Bus





73% of students at Willow Park Primary live within 1km of the School.

But ..... 50% of students always travel to School by car!

We can offer a safe way for you and your children to walk to school with their friends and give you an opportunity to make new ones along the way..... A Walking School Bus is the latest form of environmentally friendly and healthy school transport!

A Walking School Bus is made up of a team of volunteer parents who act as ‘drivers’ and ‘conductors’ escorting a group of children on their journey to and from school. They walk along a designated route, collecting and dropping off pupils at signposted ‘bus stops’. 

Children received a Ten Trip Ticket that gets 'clipped' by the conductor each time they are walking on the Bus - once the ticket is full it goes into a lucky dip draw at assembly on Friday each week.

By encouraging walking, it also helps reduce traffic congestion and pollution near schools.  Willow Park School currently operates six Walking School Buses each morning.

Approximately 10% of our pupils walk to school by Bus. We welcome new passengers and are always open to the idea of new bus routes starting up.

How do they work? Are they really safe?

At all times on a Walking School Bus the safety of the children walking on the Bus is our top priority.

• All our Bus routes have been safety audited by Traffic Safety Engineers and Road Safety Co-ordinators from North Shore City Council.  The need to cross roads is kept to a minimum.

• Drivers and Conductors on the walking Bus wear high visibility vests with a driver at the front and a conductor at the back.
 
• Training sessions, presented by Police Education Officers and / or the NSCC Road Safety Co-ordinator are run quarterly for volunteers.

• There is a minimum of 1 adult for every 8 children walking and operates each school day during term, rain or shine.  Walking School Buses operate on a strict timetable

• Parents must give written consent for children to use the walking School Bus.  Parents are responsible for getting the children to and from the Bus Stops.


Who are the Drivers and Conductors ?

At Willow Park we encourage all parents who would like their children to be part of a Walking School Bus to volunteer a little of their time to help operate the Bus. There are generally two parents on each Bus trip, but when these ‘duties’ are shared on a roster then the load for any one family can be quite small.

We would encourage each family to take at least one turn each week on the roster of Drivers and Conductors. That would give you extra time on the other four mornings!   We realise that there may be times when this is not possible, and if this is the case we will still try and accommodate your child on the route you have chosen.

Please contact the co-ordinator for the route nearest you to arrange for your child to join that Walking Bus, or talk to the School Co-ordinator if you are interested in a new route.

We look forward to welcoming you and your child on one of our Walking School Buses and happy walking!

Walking School Bus Co-ordinator: - Jane Bain - ph: 418 1618
TravelWise Co-ordinators: - Lynda Appleton (Admin) & Emma Winder (Teacher)