A SAFER and environmentally-friendly way for children to get to school is being launched by an Ilkley school.

Ben Rhydding Primary School is encouraging pupils to walk to school instead of being given a lift by parents or relatives - with its very own 'walking bus'.

The bus consists of a group of children walking together to school accompanied by parent volunteers to act as the 'driver' and 'conductor'.

The route to school has specified bus stops, where children can be collected from their parents.

The school says many of its children already walk to school with their parents, but other parents have concerns about their children walking to school because of their vulnerable age and the busy roads around the school.

Chairman of the school's Parent Teacher Association Heather Munro said: "We see the walking bus as a way to promote walking to school in a way which engenders independence in the children but without compromising their safety.

"It could also help alleviate traffic and parking concerns we have along Bolling Road."

The children and parents in the walking bus will walk in a tight formation and wear reflective clothing.

Ben Rhydding Primary made the walking bus one of the central features in the Ilkley Carnival parade recently, when youngsters donned the reflective tabards, and promoted walking to school as one method of environmentally-friendly transport.

As a bonus, the school won the prize for the best walking tableau in the parade, which this year focused on the theme of Our Environment.

The school has so far worked out two routes for the walking bus, one going along Bolling Road, and the second from Upper Constable Road, via Clifton Road and Margerison Road. The organisers hope to set up two further routes once the scheme is established. The routes have been investigated and risk-assessed and agreed by the Bradford Road Safety Unit.

However, safety issues with handing over children to their parents on carers after school have so far ruled out another walking bus at home time.