Do you think primary schools should have school buses like secondary schools do?

[LucyJones]

Maybe that would stop all the parking aggro.

[Idobelieveinfairies]

Good idea for KS2 i think-but the little ones enjoy their parents being in the school with them more don't they?

But definately a good idea for th eolder children i would have thought!

[Iklboo]

We live right next door to the school DS will be going to. Thinking of buying a 4 x 4 or hummer for the school run
Mind you - it will be closing at the end of his first year there to merge with a few others and the new site will be a massive 5 minute walk away.
Seriously I'd be a bit concerned about a wee wee one getting the bus on his own

[Idobelieveinfairies]

Oh yes....i automatically thought some sort of lollipop type person would be on the bus making sure everyone got their safely!

[LucyJones]

Okay maybe not reception kids
But if parents were at te bus stop and parent volunteers at the other bus stop (at school) like they have walking bus volunteers it might encourage people to dicth their 4x4s for a 10 minute journey

[LucyJones]

exactly a lollipop sort of person!

[janinlondon]

Secondary schools have buses????

[Iklboo]

It's a good idea in principle - though I can still see some of the lazy arses where I live driving to the bus stop
If I lived further than a 15-20 minute walk away it might be something I'd like - or in winter when the weather was especially bad or something

[LucyJones]

maybe they don't in London then? they do here, school buses yes

[Piffle]

we live semi rural
the villages without schools all have buses to primaries
tis a pain right now as all the kids even ones who wlak or get drivben want to go on the bus, DD included!!!

[UnquietDad]

Would many of them need them? The majority of primary schools are within walking distance of their catchment houses, surely.

[compo]

if that is true UD why so much ruckus about school parking?!!

[Idobelieveinfairies]

I live 30 mins away from primary school (walking distance)....we used to walk but i look after baby nephew now and with my 3 yr twins and then twins of 7 and a trying ds of 9 it is a bit too tricky to get them all their safely!

It's actually quicker to walk though.....the time it takes to get through the traffic in a car is unbelievable round here at the moment .

secondary age ones get the school bus though-one less thing to worry about...well apart from remembering to buy the bus tickets that is!

[UnquietDad]

Well, in the case of our school it's because so many lazy fat arses choose to drive when they could walk.

I think it's also come about because people don't go to their local catchment school, often through that old favourite, "choice".

[dilbertina]

Primary schools do have buses for children living more than a couple of miles away but within the catchment area. Likewise Secondary schools, although the distance you have to be from school is further for older children to qualify. The bus from my village goes to the nearest primary and secondary...

[Piffle]

You mean me unquiet dad then
4 decent schools within 1 mile yet I drive 7 miles to the small village school.

[ChasingSquirrels]

we do, well not our village but the next village that also uses our school.
As far as I am aware the council has to provide transport if the allocated school is over a certain distance (2 miles?).
People will still drive, if I am dropping on the way to work I drive - it is only a 8 min walk, but if I do that and then have to walk back I am late for work, and can't fit in my contracted hours before I have to return to pick up ds1. Sometimes I am coming back from my parents to pick-up and ds2 falls asleep in the car, there is no way I will drive home and get him out of the car (which will wake him up) when I could park in the village car park, leave him asleep in the car and pop in to get ds1.
Everyone has different circumstances.

[FuriousGeorge]

DD1 goes to the nearest school in the next village & all primary school children in catchment get a free bus to school.The council did try to stop it years back,as the journey is less than 2 miles.Parents complained,as it was only 2 miles,but 2 miles along unlit country roads with no pavement at all.So we got tio keep the bus.

It is great,dd1 is the only child in our village on it & the drivers all make sure she gets on && off ok & help with her seat belt.She loves it & won't let me take her in or pick her up,even if I'm there at kicking out time.

[magentadreamer]

My DD's Primary school did have a school bus it also took in two other schools.It was run by our local bus company -they cover a fair few schools I looked into it when it first set up when she was in Yr5. It looked to be well organised etc children had allocated seats, contact numbers and each child had a designated stop. Unfortunately if DD had gone to school by bus it would due to the route have taken 1hr 5 mins for her to get to school compared with a 20 mins to walk to school!

[sunnydelight]

We're in Sydney and kids get the bus from kindy (reception) onwards; I couldn't believe the size of some of the kids waiting at bus stops and walking home by themselves when I arrives first, now it's the norm. It's slightly bizarre to see kids in 4/5 different uniforms waiting at the same stop. Our school is down a track on the edge of the bush and nobody lives within walking distance so if the majority didn't get the bus it would be a nightmare. I must say though that I'm glad when DD starts next year she'll have her two big brothers to look after her, otherwise I would drive her.