Tuesday 16 June 2009

With the end of the school year and long summer holidays looming, Metro is, once again, stepping in to provide help and advice for Year Six pupils who will be travelling to a new school in September.

Up to 1,100 Year Six pupils across West Yorkshire are taking part in Metro's annual, Junior SAFEMark training, which started on Monday 8 June and continues for the next four weeks.

Junior SAFEMark training is designed for Year Six pupils because, from September, they will be travelling to their new secondary schools and many of them will be using public transport on their own for the first time.

At the workshops, led by Metro and local bus operators, they learn to plan journeys using tools such as timetables, Metro's online journey planner, and the yournextbus texting service. They also take part in an on-bus role play scenario designed to help them travel safely and confidently.

There is also a session on sustainable transport choices, where the pupils explore the benefits of walking, cycling and other travel options.

"From September, many Year Six pupils across West Yorkshire will be using buses and trains to travel to and from school and for many of them it will be the first time they have used public transport unaccompanied," said Councillor Chris Greaves, Metro's Chairman.

"Our Junior SAFEMark training workshops provide those pupils with the skills and knowledge they will need to use public transport safely and confidently, and give them the opportunity to get a Young Person's Photo Card, which they need to travel on buses at half fare."

Metro introduced Junior SAFEMark workshops to West Yorkshire in 2004 and to date over 8,000 West Yorkshire pupils have taken part in the scheme. This year 36 schools from across West Yorkshire are taking part between Monday 8 June and Friday 10 July.