Pedestrian Linkages – Walking School Bus

About this pattern

The walking school bus concept originated in Japan, but was popularised initially in Australia.  Programs now exist throughout the world that organise groups of students travelling together on foot to school or other destinations, under the supervision of staff and volunteers. The walking school bus is seen by policy makers and local authorities as a way to promote safe exercise and conviviality, and to reduce traffic choke points associated with the school commute.

Pattern Conditions

Enablers

• There are many online resources that can be used to develop walking school bus programs.
• The efficacy of these programs can be greatly improved by the development of policy guidelines that attend to both the safety and walkability of local environments.
• Brightly coloured jackets for the children are a good idea.

Constraints

• Walking school buses may not be advisable in areas where traffic patterns and the built environment preclude safe pedestrian pathways.
• Programs may not be advisable during heat emergencies or other adverse weather events.

Commoning Concerns

Walking school bus as social commons

Ownership: Participants (state and federal government).

Access: Open to participating families that have organised a walking school bus program.

Use: Safe and convivial walking transportation to and from school or other destinations.

Benefit: Transportation, exercise, safe and convivial transport to and from school and reduced traffic congestion around school sites.

Care: Distributed among parents and volunteers participating the walking school bus program.

Responsibility: There are significant concerns around the question of responsibility: how to keep children safe during these activities and who bears this responsibility (in New South Wales this lies with participating parents and caregivers).