TAVISTOCK Primary School's brand new 'virtual bus' got on the road this week, launched to coincide with national Walk to School week.
The bus is running as a result of months of hard work by parents' association members Su Woodside and Janet Lake, in conjunction with the police and county council.
The pupils and volunteer 'bus driver' Vicki Austin and her 'conductors' leave Riverside car park in Tavistock and walk along the river to the school in Plymouth Road every morning and back again at the end of the day.
Janet said: 'It's a lovely walk through the park. We've nearly got a full bus — we can take up to 16 children because according to the county council this is the safest route in Devon. The only contact we have with the road is at the crossing.'
Janet said parents who have to drive can drop their children safely in the car park and be sure their youngsters will be escorted to school by trained volunteers.
'Devon County Council came down to the school and gave them basic safety and common sense sort of training,' said Janet.
'We're hoping to set up a bus from Monksmead, given that the bridge is now there and it would be nice to have one from the Bishopsmead area, because that's such a busy road,' she said.
All the children on the bus wear bright yellow fluorescent tabards and carry umbrellas and the Home School Association has donated some blue woolly hats to keep passengers warm on the walk to school.
'We're hoping to get some more sponsorship for the bus — a mobile 'phone would be really handy for the bus driver,' said Janet.
She said Meadowlands Pool had also been full of encouragement for the scheme and was planning a 'wet and wild' session as an incentive for those using foot-power instead of horse-power.
'We're really pleased it's started, it's been hard work but we've got a solid foundation and hopefully parents will see how easy it is to use,' she said.