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On The Buses

There are stacks of buses on the streets of Stratford at the moment, but there’s not a traffic jam in sight.

By Wellington Shire Council - 19th July 2005 - Back to News

That’s because all of the `buses’ are part of the Walking School Bus Program, recently launched by Wellington Shire Council.

Stratford’s St Patrick’s Primary School is that latest to join the program, which is proving extremely popular across the shire.

St Patrick’s teacher and student welfare co-ordinator Joan McPherson said: "The kids love it and so do the parents."

"We have got two walking school buses at the moment and they converge on the school from both sides of town. The parents like the fact that their children are getting supervision, exercise and road safety awareness on their way to school."

"We have only been going for a few weeks but already we have got six on one bus and 11 on the other … and as the weather picks up, I’m sure we are going to get more."

Stratford Primary School also has a bus with 13 participants walking to school as part of the project.

Wellington’s Deputy Mayor Jeff Amos said: "This project has been so successful, so quickly, because of the tremendous work from the volunteers and local communities. Parents supervise the buses and do an outstanding job and the school communities are beginning to own the program."

"We already have nine schools and more than 130 children involved in the program across the shire and that’s a terrific effort in such a short time."

The participating schools are: Araluen Primary (Sale), St Thomas (Sale), Sale 545, Maffra Primary, Wurruk Primary, Heyfield Primary, Stratford Primary, St Patrick’s Stratford and St Mary’s Maffra.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com