Last summer we revealed that a ‘Walking Bus’ was being proposed for Ruddington. After a survey was carried out, and followed up with two information evenings, it was decided there was enough interest and support to test out the idea in our village. After much planning, the first trial is this week!
A ‘Walking Bus’ is a fun, healthy, safe and environmentally friendly way for children to get to and from school. It enables kids chaperoned by adults to walk to their school along a set route – in much the same way a school bus might drive them there. Like a traditional bus, walking buses have not only a fixed route but also designated ‘bus stops’ and ‘pick up times’ at which they collect the youngsters.
Initially, the ‘Ruddington Walking Bus’ will be operating for just one week, from this Monday to Friday (17th-21st June), to coincide with ‘Clean Air Day 2019’. It will be travelling from James Peacock School to St Peter’s School each morning and running to the following timetable:-
- 8.20am – Ruddington Bus Drivers arrive ready to support anyone signing up on the day
- 8.35am – Ruddington Bus leaves James Peacock
- 9.00am – Ruddington Bus arrives at St Peter’s
If you’ve not yet signed up your child there’s still time to do so by emailing ruddingtonwalkingbus@gmail.com or by simply registering them with the ‘driver’ on Monday morning, at 8.20am, in the ‘meeting circle’ at the front of James Peacock School.
Drivers are being asked to exercise extra care, consideration and patience if they encounter the ‘Walking Bus’ this week. The ‘journey’ of around 25 minutes will take it out via the Wilford Road end of Manor Park, across Wilford Road using the Puffin Crossing, along St John’s Road, down St Mary’s Crescent and into St Mary’s Park, out onto Ling Crescent, then via Packham Drive and Ashworth Avenue.
The ‘Walking Bus’ initiative is a collaboration between NHS Rushcliffe CCG, Rushcliffe Borough Council and Ruddington Mums, who hope it will become a permanent feature in our village if this week’s trial proves to be a success. Laura Ratcliffe of Ruddington Mums says: “We would love support from all the village, not just the schools and parents. We want anyone to help if they can and they want to. The idea for the first route is to take any St Peter’s School kids who have siblings at James Peacock School, but other buses could be running concurrently. We can have more than one ‘bus’ route – we just need the helpers.”
The plan is actually for the ‘service’ to be expanded to three different routes, if enough adult volunteers and volunteer co-ordinators can be found to run them. If you’d like to help, or want to find out more, please email the organisers via ruddingtonwalkingbus@gmail.com.
UPDATE 18th JULY 2019:
It’s been announced by Laura that this Ruddington Walking Bus route is to become a permanent fixture from September!
