ROAD safety for two Medway schools has been
boosted by a £500 donation from local
coach operator The Kings Ferry.
The money will pay for day-glo tabards
and baseball caps for children using the scheme,
which encourages parents and their children
to join an organised walking route to and from
school rather than going by car.
The schools involved are yet to be nominated,
but will also receive free outings courtesy
of The Kings Ferry.
Simon Dolby, chairman of the Kent & Medway
Walking Bus Group, said he was delighted by
this support for its campaign, which aims to
reduce the congestion and pollution caused by
car-borne schools traffic and improve the health
and safety of children.
“Young children simply don’t
get the exercise they need and there is also
strong evidence that their road safety awareness
has declined in recent years,” said
Simon. “A walking bus can do much
to help on both fronts.”
He added that part of the campaign has been
to get parents involved on a rota of volunteers
to lead the ‘buses’, which enjoy
high visibility on their routes thanks to the
tabards and caps supplied by sponsors such as
The Kings Ferry.
Walking bus group chairman Simon
Dolby (right) with general manager of
The Kings Ferry, Steve O’Neill.
The walking bus group was formed nearly four years ago in the Canterbury area and has since spread to the Medway, Thanet, Ashford, Shepway and Dover council districts – it aims to become county-wide as soon as possible.
In addition to funding the Medway expansion of the scheme, The Kings Ferry has also pledged a free local day out aboard one of its FerryBus double-deckers for each two schools involved, plus a further day out within Kent as a prize in the Walking Bus annual prize draw.
Steve O’Neill, general manager of the
Gillingham-based group said:
“The Kings Ferry has been carrying
schools since it was founded in 1968, so we identify
with the safety and community spirit behind this excellent
scheme.
“The hi-visibility of the tabards also echoes
the trademark yellow livery of our fleet, including
new FerryBus vehicles able to cater exclusively for
school work. Each has seatbelts throughout, CCTV and
can carry two school classes.”
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