Select Committee on Education and Skills Minutes of Evidence


APPENDIX I

WEST YORKSHIRE PASSENGER TRANSPORT EXECUTIVE (METRO) YELLOW BUS PILOT SCHEMES

HEBDEN BRIDGE

Details

    —  The scheme began in February 2002.

    —  Two American Yellow Buses serve seven primary schools, two different routes.

    —  Schools: Central Street, Colden, Hebden Royd, Heptonstall, Old Town, Riverside, Stubbings.

    —  On average 68 children use the buses per day (morning average 75, afternoon average 61).

    —  105 children are registered to use the bus in total.

    —  50-60% bus riders formerly travelled by car (20% by bus).

    —  Potentially saves around 25,000 car journeys per year.

    —  Partners: The scheme is a partnership between: Metro, First, Calderdale MBC (Safe Routes to School) and the Countryside Agency (Rural Transport Partnership). Each partner plays a role in the different aspects of the scheme:


PartnerRole

Metro—Co-ordination between partners
—Communication with parents (including promoting the scheme)
—Issuing bus passes
—Monitoring and evaluation
—Funding
Calderdale MBC—Co-ordinating safety activities for children
—Communication with schools
—Advice on walking buses and supervision of boarding and alighting
—Funding
First Calderline—Operating and maintaining the buses
—Recruiting and training drivers
—Operating Yellow Bus control
Countryside Agency—Funding


    —  Yellow bus Control: This is a facility for parents to relay messages to the driver. The driver has a "register" of the children booked to use the bus each day. If a child is not using the bus on any of the days they are booked on (eg through illness), their parents must call the "Control" to relay this message to the driver. First Calderline manages the "Control".

Feedback:

    —  15% to 60% reduction in school gate congestion.

    —  Positive feedback from parents, 80% extremely pleased with the quality of the service.

    —  Main reasons parents give for using the bus; Concern for the environment; Convenience; Encourage child to develop independence.

    —  Quote from parental feedback form:

    ". . . I think the service is run brilliantly . . . it saves me using the car twice a day and getting stuck in all the busy traffic . . . gives my daughter some independence . . . I know she is taken to and from school safely . . . the driver for bus B is really friendly and helpful"


 
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