3 April 2009

Nab Wood High School near Bingley is the latest recipient of a Metro SAFEMark award for promoting good behaviour on its school buses.

SAFEMark is given to those schools which make a commitment to improve safety and the behaviour of pupils on school and regular bus services.

Metro's SAFEMark team runs the scheme in partnership with local bus operating companies and West Yorkshire Police.

"Congratulations to Nab Wood on gaining the award," said Councillor Chris Greaves Metro's Chairman. "It's very well deserved.

"A lot of hard work to reach the SAFEmark standard has been made and I know that staff from the school, First and Metro's Education Transport team have put in a lot of effort into getting to this point.

"Metro believes that it's young people who are the best advertisement for public transport - buses and trains - because if we can make the home-to-school run safer and more enjoyable, then it's a habit that will stick with them for the rest of their lives."

Metro's SAFEMark scheme rewards secondary schools for taking public transport seriously by making a commitment to improve safety and the behaviour of pupils on school and regular bus services.

Phil Thornton, from service operator First, said "Nab Wood has become one of the best performing schools in Bradford, regarding transport. This is a real credit to all the agencies involved, but more so than ever to the students at this school who have demonstrated pride in themselves and the school."

SAFEMark is one element of Metro's drive to improve public transport and cut road congestion across West Yorkshire. The school run is currently responsible for 1 in 5 cars on the road at peak times and Metro is reducing that figure through schemes such as SAFEMark and My bus yellow buses, which encourage pupils and parents to choose public transport for the home-to-school journey.