Wanaka Primary School’s walking school bus

Wanaka Primary School’s walking school bus

Kath Wilson and Lynn Weedon have been ‘driving’ Wanaka Primary School’s walking school bus for three years, but this may be the last term they take the route they do. Wanaka Primary School is moving to a new location in term 4 and taking on a school travel plan at the same time. This has been a pro-active way to improve transport choices for children when it comes to the move. It is hoped that numbers on the walking school bus route will grow, even if the route itself has changed.

A travel survey week will be held early in term 2 for the whole school community. Children, parents and staff will be asked how they currently get to school and how they might be getting to school at the new site. Wendy Bamford, Wanaka Primary School’s principal is a great believer in starting off as you mean to go on. “We really wanted people to reflect on what they were doing now and to think about how they could do things differently at the new location. Even if children walk or bike sometimes, it all makes a difference. It impacts on congestion and road safety and also gives us healthy active children. Everyone benefits.”

To raise awareness during survey week and to get all parents’ views (including those who regularly drive) the school is promoting a “travel choice week”. Children will walk, bike, car pool and take the bus as much as they can for one whole week and record their results. This information will help the school and council to make comparisons with future surveys and to measure changes in travel behaviour.

Further information: rae-anne.kurucz@qldc.govt.nz. , .