Setting up a walking bus

Toolkit for schools setting up a walking bus.

This webpage contains a Toolkit to help you set up and sustain a Walking Bus. The information included has been developed by Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES) Council and is intended as guidance only. Requirements in your area may be different.

A Walking Bus is where a group of children are escorted to school by adult volunteers. Children and adults walk in a group wearing hi-vis tabards along an approved route and stopping at set points to collect additional ‘passengers’.

Adults are volunteers from the school community – school staff, parents, grandparents, child minders, nannies etc. Every parent/ guardian who uses the Walking Bus should be committing to volunteer.

Watch our “What is a walking bus?” video

Document templates

Walking bus toolkit document

Provides detailed guidance on how to set up and sustain a Walking Bus. Read this first and use in combination with the rest of the Toolkit.

Main toolkit document Download pdf PDF approximately 512.77 K

Helpers Guidelines

Explains the types of helpers that are needed to support your Walking Bus. This includes the Co-ordinator, Leader, Conductor, and other volunteers. This should be read by ALL volunteers before they help out on the Walking Bus.

Helpers Guidelines Download pdf PDF approximately 170.49 K

Process Chart: Setting up a Walking Bus

Illustrates the step-by-step process to setting up a Walking Bus that is described in the Main Document.

WB Process Flowchart Download pdf PDF approximately 38.26 K

Walking Bus Risk Mitigation Chart

Lays out the measures to mitigate risk on the Walking Bus as explained in the ‘General Risk Assessment’. Refer to this when explaining the process you will be following to reduce risk when on the Walking Bus.

WB Mitigation Chart Download pdf PDF approximately 188.41 K

General Risk Assessment (B&NES Council example)

Assesses the general risks for a Walking Bus, and lists measures to reduce those risks to an acceptable level (measures are also displayed in the ‘Walking Bus Risk Mitigation Chart’).

This is an example only. The School needs to understand and sign their own General Risk Assessment for their Walking Bus. A copy of the General Risk Assessment should be made available to the School’s insurance provider.

General Risk Assessment (example) Download docx

Forms for you to fill out

Route Specific Risk Assessment Form

Use this to assess the risks on a proposed route and for identifying mitigation measures to bring those risks down to an acceptable level. Any proposed route needs to be risk assessed before it is used for a Walking Bus.

Route Risk Assessment Download docx

Invitation to Initial Meeting

A template letter for inviting parent/ guardians to an Initial Meeting for a Walking Bus. The Initial Meeting is used to gauge parental interest in a Walking Bus, and plot potential routes for your scheme.

Invitation to initial meeting Download docx

Parent Permission Note and Pupil Promise

This must be completed by parent/ guardians who want their child to use the Walking Bus. It collects details for each child and contact numbers and details of where/ when they will use the Walking Bus. It also collects written consent from the parent/ guardians, and the days they will be able to volunteer.

Parent permission note and pupil promise Download docx

Volunteer Management Spreadsheet

Use this spreadsheet to record information collected from the Parent Permission Note, and create a Volunteer Rota for your Walking Bus. Print off tabs from this spreadsheet for the Leader to carry when on the Walking Bus.

Volunteer management spreadsheet Download xlsx

Additional toolkit videos

Use these videos to generate interest in a proposed Walking Bus, and boost participation year-on-year. Play them in assemblies, parents meetings, or share via social media.

All videos are available on the Travelwest YouTube Channel or by using the Bath and North East Somerset SecureShare links provided.

Feedback form

We would love to hear your feedback! If you have any comments or suggestions for the Walking Bus Toolkit please submit it via our online Feedback Form.