Cycling 'school bus' quietly takes off as Thousands Cycle to Work : Melbourne Indymedia

Queueing for food was pretty minimal, and the mall provided a relaxing setting to enjoy breakfast and a cappucino from one of the coffee shops. A number of children attended and several of them later cycled to school with a cycling "bus".

Have you noticed the terrible traffic jams that occur outside primary schools at the start and end of each work day? Yes, its mum or occasionally dad or the grandparents dropping off the kids at school in the family car. Meanwhile, the health of many children is suffering from obesity and lack of exercise.

Moreland Council have decided to address this issue through a sustainability program. You may have heard of walking 'school buses' which have met with some success in safely transporting children to school through a walking route under the supervision of adults. In Moreland we now have the first cycling (also scooters and skates) 'school bus' which takes kids to school along a predetermined route under adult supervision.

Council Officers are looking at talking to more parents of Primary School children and to Primary Schools in the municipality to broaden the initiative. The idea came from exploring emission-free options for getting the kids to and from school safely, such as walking school buses, travel buddies and cycling pods that was raised by community focus groups in in the Transport Comets project 2004 and Sustainable Transport Mini-Fest in early 2005.

Transport generally makes up a significant proportion of a household's greenhouse gas emissions. The Transport Comets project aimed to increase people's use of sustainable transport such as walking, cycling, scooting, skating and public transport, in the City of Moreland.

The cycling 'school bus' just might reduce some of that traffic jam outside primary schools, as well as providing some healthy exercise for the TV and computer generation kids. Not to mention reducing pollution and greenhouse gases. It might even convince mum and dad to get that old bike out of the garage and try Riding to Work.

Sources:
1. Transport Comets Final Report - Prepared by the Moreland Energy Foundation Ltd and Environment Victoria for the Department of Environment & Heritage - Australian Greenhouse Office
http://www.mefl.com.au/documents/Transport_Comets_Final_Report.doc

2. See also Bicycle Victoria's Ride to School information:
http://www.ride2school.com.au