PLANS for Hampshire's first walking school bus have won the overwhelming support of Winchester leaders.

The scheme, to be launched by Sun Hill Infants' School, will aim to reduce the number of cars travelling to and from the site during peak hours.

Members of the traffic and engineering committee have agreed to allocate £2,000 as a pump primer for the new initiative.

The walking bus will take the form of parents shepherding children to the school along a specified route each day.

Children will be picked up outside their homes, with a trolley being used to carry heavy bags.

Chief engineer, David Marklew, emphasised that the scheme could play a key role in helping to reduce congestion around schools.

"We have had a safe routes to school project which has been an enormous success.

"The walking school bus is a different approach which is worthy of exploring to see how it goes."

Planning committee chairman, Rodney Sabine, agreed it would be a good idea to try the scheme with a view to applying it to other schools. He also stressed that it would help to educate children about road safety. The committee agreed that governors and parents of primary schools should be encouraged to introduce walking buses.

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