Yellow Bus Scheme for Rochdale School

Yellow School Bus

A Rochdale school is in line for the district's first yellow school bus service in the new school year, after transport chiefs agreed to fund a scheme at Falinge High School. The news was announced at today's meeting of Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority, which welcomed a report on the success of nine other yellow bus schemes already running at schools in Tameside, Manchester, Stockport and Wigan.

Yellow school bus services are run with new purpose built buses by regular drivers who have undergone security checks and an extensive training programme run by GMPTE. Other features include CCTV, reserved seats and passes and a pupil code of conduct. Members heard that the improved quality of service has attracted more pupils onto school buses, improved their behaviour and also boosted school attendance rates. The yellow bus scheme will be introduced at Falinge High School at the start of the new school year in September.

Deputy Chair and Rochdale spokesperson for the Authority, Councillor Allen Brett said: "I am delighted that Falinge High School has been chosen to benefit from a yellow school bus service. Our existing services are obviously popular with pupils, parents, the schools and drivers, and are all fully subscribed.

"The features of the yellow bus services are all having the desired effect - we know from the schools and drivers that there has been a considerable improvement in pupils' behaviour. They have also taken car journeys off the road by offering a safe and attractive alternative. I look forward to reports back on similar success in Rochdale."

Members also endorsed the Authority's policy of expanding the yellow school bus programme to schools across Greater Manchester. A major scheme bid for government funding to buy up to 160 yellow school buses will be included in the county's second 'Local Transport Plan' later this year.

Councillor Roger Jones, Chair of the Authority, said: "We are committed to continuing developing these schemes, which we believe are the way forward to improve the quality of our school services.

"We are not alone in believing this - indeed only last week a report was published by the Sutton Trust Education Charity and the Social Market Foundation Think Tank highlighting the genuine benefits of these services in reducing road casualties and congestion associated with the school run.

"Aside from our upcoming bid for government funding, GMPTE is continually examining alternative funding sources to help us gradually introduce more and more services."

As well as the scheme at Falinge High School, today's meeting also gave the go ahead for yellow school bus services at two schools in Bury and Salford.