I'M glad to see the BFP raising the subject of school travel in Bucks. Did you know that this month sees the start of 'Walk to School Year' here?

Bucks County Council has a group dedicated to this: 'Safer Routes to School' (Contact Marcus Rogers at the council for details).

This group has been working with Burford School, Marlow Bottom, since October 2000 to help tackle the school run. We have three crocodile trails (walking buses) in the village escorting children to school, and we run a separate walk to school incentive scheme 'Get green... go for gold'.

A hands-up survey in school last October revealed that 69 per cent of children were walking to school as a result.

But it's hard work! I have been dedicating most of my spare (and unpaid) time to our project at Burford for 18 months and although we have definitely seen satisfying results it's a constant effort to keep up people's interest and commitment. Here are a few facts that exercise my mind...

No home in Marlow Bottom is more than a mile from school, but some parents within the village still drive their children to school, from as little as half a mile away.

The law allows parents to express a preference over where to send their children to school. Consequently many parents choose to send their children not to their most local school, but to one which may be too far to walk to. About one-third of the families at Burford fall into this category. There are no public bus services into Marlow Bottom whose routes or timing would suit these families.

We recently conducted a written travel survey at school which showed that 82 per cent of children would prefer to walk to school. What is preventing them from doing so?

Children need guidance at using roads as pedestrians and cyclists and road accidents are the highest cause of accidental death among children. How will they ever get this practice if they are driven everywhere?

Rosie Brake

(Parent governor

Burford School)

High Heavens Wood

Marlow Bottom