Another yellow bus for West Yorkshire schools

800 pupils at four primary schools in the West Yorkshire town of Ilkley have been offered them the chance to reserve a seat on a special yellow school bus service being introduced in September.

Metro introduced imported US style yellow school buses (see pic) around the Pennine town of Hebden Bridge in February 2002 to reduce local congestion and pollution and improve road safety. The scheme, which is funded by the Countryside Agency, Metro, Calderdale Council and the bus operator First, uses buses that are designed with safety as top priority. The buses are fitted with seatbelts and provide the highest protection for passengers in the event of an accident. The bus is only allowed to carry children - not members of the general public - thereby eliminating ‘stranger danger’. Where necessary the schools organise parents and/or staff to supervise boarding and embarking.

Although the bus to be used in Ilkley is not a US style bus, it is still expected to deliver a number of benefits to schoolchildren and the wider community.

"Painted bright yellow the Ilkley bus will be highly visible, which will encourage other road users to take extra precaution," said Metro's Bradford District spokesperson, councillor John Prestage. "And parents and pupils will get to know a friendly face as the scheme's two specially trained drivers will drive the bus on alternate days."
Over the summer term Metro and KDT ran on-bus safety sessions to teach pupils from the four schools that 'buses are safe - when you know the rules'. All children, whether they will use the bus or not, had the opportunity to attend.

"Keighley and District Travel is keen to introduce bus travel to children who may never have been on a bus," said KDT managing director Stuart Wilde. "We will also be asking some of them to come along and help us paint the bus yellow during the summer holidays."

To ensure that there is a seat for each child - and to prevent 'strangers' from getting on the bus - pupils are required to register in advance. Each morning the driver will check off the names to ensure that no children are left behind.

The driver is responsible for making sure children are seated and for supervising children boarding and alighting. Parents can accompany their child on the bus for free until they get used to it. The driver also collects the fare, which is 30p per day one-way or 50p for a return ticket.

Creating safe, exclusive bus services to schools across the county is one of Metro's long-term aims. It also hopes to develop a new generation of public transport users and - with the school run responsible for one in five cars on the road at peak times - to combat traffic congestion on West Yorkshire's roads.

For further information please contact the Metro PR office on 0113 251 7214 or contact Jo Mellors, school travel plan officer, Metro West Yorkshire (public transport) by email: Joanne.Mellors@wypte.gov.uk