REDUCING pollution, encouraging healthy lifestyles and solving parking problems are issues most schools are keen to promote.

Seventeen years ago Cath Smith and her then colleague, fellow teaching assistant Mrs Ruth Tilley at Aire View Infant School in Silsden, were invited to a meeting.

The aim was to discuss ways to develop a road safety initiative benefitting pupils and parents. Kath recalls it was during that meeting that the so-called 'Walking Bus' scheme was born which, incidentally doesn't involve any wheeled transport at all!

Letters were duly distributed from the school to parents seeking their interest in the scheme which, as Cath explains, involved youngsters, accompanied by their parents, waiting at designated bus stops for Cath and her colleague, Mrs Tilley, to pick them up a pied!

The youngsters would then join the 'walking bus' bound for their destination. As Cath explains, the scheme is educational in more ways than one.

As well as teaching road safety to the children in their care, the teaching assistants also helped the pupils recite their spellings along the way and often sing songs.

For 15 years Mrs Tulley, who sadly passed away earlier this year, accompanied the children on the route from Waterside while Cath continues with the Skipton Road route.

It is understood Aire View Infants is now the only school in the city and district to operate a 'walking bus' scheme and, according to Cath, it continues to thrive.

Currently the scheme is aimed at the five to sevens but it is anticipated, following the merger with Hothfield Junior School in Silsden in September, the scheme will continue accommodating children up to the age of 11.

Cath says as well as the benefits of teaching the children road safety, the scheme is also helping to increase the youngsters' confidence. Those who were quiet are now content chattering along the way.

She tells how they also teamed up with a local neighbour who walked Guide Dog puppies. She wanted to walk the route with the children so the dogs could get used to being with children. Cath tells how it also helped the children get used to being around dogs.

"Road safety is the first priority. You're in touch with different people. It's quite visible in the community and people respond to you," explains Cath.

Most schools struggle with parking issues around school - with limited parking available the walking bus scheme enables the children to walk to school safely and also tackles issues such as pollution.

According to Cath, the scheme also benefits parents who may have to leave home for work early. "We have supported a wide range of families," says Cath.

The 'Walking Bus' is also supporting charitable causes - the children previously held a 'run to school' event and they have been involved in road safety initiatives too.

The benefits are endless. Daily exercise contributes to a healthy lifestyle and, of course, there is a social aspect to the scheme too as the children walk to school with fellow pupils who have become pals.

After seeing first-hand the benefits the 'Walking Bus' scheme brings, Cath is now keen to pass those on by encouraging other schools to follow suit.

"Get it set up, you will enjoy it," she says.

Vicky Bottomley, headteacher at Aire View Infant School says: "Cath Smith has worked at Aire View Infant School for over 23 years and for 17 of these she has worked tirelessly to improve road safety for our children.

"It was because of this Cath was very interested when we were discussing introducing a Walking Bus. Both her and Ruth Tilley, another Teaching Assistant employed by school undertook some training with the Road Safety Unit along with other volunteer parents. The Walking Buses in Silsden have gone from strength to strength!"

Vicky cites the many benefits the scheme has brought such as helping to reduce parking around the school.

"There are so many benefits for running a scheme like this; helps reduce parking around the school, children have more exercise and are wide awake when they reach school having enjoyed the social experience, helps reduce pollution and is better for the environment," she says.

"Most of all our children are 'seen and loved' by our local community with many people say they can tell the time without looking at their clocks as they know exactly when the Walking Bus is passing their homes."

Vicky says she now hopes they will inspire more schools to set up their own Walking Bus schemes.