Safe Speed Forums

Came across this article in this week's copy of C W.



Apparently the transport charity Sustrans registerd 1600 "champion schools" in a pilot last year. Now they are launching a "new" campaign to persudae parents to abandon the school run cars and ride with thier little dears instead


Somehow - I feel a little worried over Mumpty on a bike here

Government figures reveal that 30% of boys and 40% of girls do not take one hour's exercise per day.

Sustrans say that just one "champion" parent leading a bike bus or crocodile to school could get a quarter of a million more kids either cycling or walking to school.

Logic! They have to be in same area and we all know we all live in different parts of the catchment area...and the one parent chosen will need a CREB check at £60 per person as legal requirement for being around kids![/quote]

The charity reckons this will cut congestion and CO2 emissions.

Perhaps.

Dr Ashley Cooper -- Head of Exercise and Health Studies at Bristol University agrees

Quote:

Encouraging children to walk or cycle to school is a step in the right direction of getting them in the habit of taking exercise, stimulating a change from sedentary to more active lifestyles .

Research shows that active children are less prone to illness than sedentary children and are less likely to become obese. They can cope better with daily routine tasks and develop a better self -image and self confidence

Sustrans say that last year's pilot scheme parents organised car-free days, cycle training days and cycle/walking schemes

Sarah Oakley of Sustrans wrote:

This is people power at its best and we hope our scheme will encourage some amazing results

She adds that the "champions" do more than talk - they [i] do and "make things happen".

Sustrans hope to have 29,000 champions i - one in each school by 2010.

To find out more: www.areyouachampion.org.uk

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Methinks a bit of the rose tinted specs again....

Agree kids need to walk more and we need to reduce school runs as this stifles independence to some extent. I used to walk to the school bus stop as a lad, call in at the little shop for a "quarter of Uncle Joe's mintballs and some penny gobstoppers " and chat up the girls on the bus Then got more exercise by walking to school from the bus stop at the end of the bus journey.

But as for a "champion" parent to chaperone a group to school? Not sure how possible this would be to working mums and dads - and anyone who works or is in working contact with kids has to have a criminal records check - costs £60 to taxpayers and the wait (due to sheer volume and repeat request from each establishment a candidate teacher etc applies to ) is ridiculous.

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Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

When did the price drop?
My CRB check cost my employer £75.

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Not to mention liability of said champion in our "where there's blame there's a claim" culture of ambulance-chaser litigation.

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"Politicians are the same the world over... We build bridges where there aren't any rivers." - Nikita Kruschev

Champions? Busy bodies more like.

I walk my kids to school because I want to. And most of the time they enjoy it.

I don't look down on those who for whatever reason take their kids to school in the car. And I am not going to start pushing my lifestyle choice down other people's throats.

Another thing. Isn't the idea that you need a "walking bus" or whatever just re-enforcing the idea that the streets are not safe?

I think it's a great idea. I've seen a few 'walking busses' around this way each with about a dozen kids in tow. Not sure if it's run by parents or teachers. I must say it's ridiculous that they need a criminal records check to do this. Not so long ago it would have just been a case of Mr or Mrs X, father/mother of little billy will be doing this, if you want to sign up, here's the form.

And you'd be happy for Fred & Rosemary West (who had kids of their own don't forget) to lead the "walking bus" would you?

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

Wouldn't any mass murderer (or terrorist for that matter) pass a criminal records checK BEFORE they have been caught? That's the whole problem with these checks or id cards - you don't know who the nutters are until it's too late but you can't live your life thinking that everyone is. Simple fact of the matter is you're more likely to get bumped off or molested by a member of your own family than someone else.

Oh that's true enough - it usually is someone the child knows and trusts. One of the children we fostered and adopted - nasty story and why I go ballistic over the "S -word"....

But about the CRB check - all it proves is that person has not been caught .... yet. Tonight's Bolton mentions a teacher (held positions at two other schools and child's parent at the third school had the sense to complain about some rather disturbing Christmas cards he sent to his son.) but nothing on him prior to this and he'd have been through the checks. Also the teacher recently convicted of inappropriate behaviour and two others in the national press. All clean prior to being copped at it. Have zero sympathy for these and glad they have been finally brought to account - but it proves the check to be a money making lip service in reality. But again there is a difference between unwisely inappropriate behaviour and more sinister behaviour. The unanswered question is whether or not these persons would become more sinister given the inappropriate behaviour.

There is also the question of the length of time people wait for the checked document clearing them for duty takes too. For £60/£75 - should not take months. Nor should each establishment insist on a new one. The clearing document should be valid for at least one or two years.

As for the bike bus and crocodile? I am happy enough to drop the kids off at the school bus stop on my way to work now William's at Uni. Still costs me a fortune though

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CRB certificates are generally considered valid for 2 years from the date of issue, however any prospective employer is well within their rights to ask for one at any time.

There are 3 different types of checks...

Basic
This shows f*ck all

Standard
This only shows criminal convictions that are less than 10 years old

Enhanced
This one tells your life story, including any intelligence the old bill have on you.

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?