School Bus

[#1]

Photographs show a school Bus (1,2 & 3) in Japan
and a school Bus (4) In India.
DAK any call centres located in India?

[#2]

the indian one is lean and green, the driver probably healthier (from all that exercise) than its japanese counterpart.

[#3]

At least they probably use school buses rather than Chelsea Tractors !. 
Our local primary school is actually installing bicycles sheds in response to a survey of pupils most desired form of transport to school. !.

[#4]

Where I live the council are redesigning a major roundabout junction and one consideration is the result of a poll of students at a local school regarding the use of bicyles to and from school.

Quote

The subway will be filled in and replaced with a surface level pedestrian crossing. It is also planned to link the new crossing to existing cycle lanes to improve access to Meadowhead School and surrounding areas.

[#5]

I was in Cambridge last week and I have never seen so many bikes. They must outnumber cars 3 to 1.

[#6]

I too have spent a lot of time in Cambridge. The roads have been unable to cope for many many years.
Just as well so many people use bikes

[#7]

Of course most of the bikes are associated with the colleges.  Those that do are rented by the term by students and the bikes all have an identification plate on them.
I agree with your comments about the roads being unable to cope.  The City centre is closed off at times with bollards.  They also have a very good system of park-and-ride around the City perimeter to encourage drivers to leave their cars outside.

[#8]

Quote from: artmo

They also have a very good system of park-and-ride around the City perimeter to encourage drivers to leave their cars outside.

They also have very expensive, short term parking....(10 mins in some places, but still pay up or.....) which also "encourage" drivers to go to other towns........ ! 

[#9]

Cambridge has a byelaw that says that students are nor permitted to bring cars into the city.

[#10]

Strangely Oxford has a similar problem

[#11]

Quote from: hulls

Cambridge has a byelaw that says that students are nor permitted to bring cars into the city.

That's sensible, both from a safety and congestion point of view.  If memory serves me Oxford has a similar problem with parking but does not prevent students driving in the City. Somewhere to leave a car is the problem and most colleges don't have parking facilities for students.

[#12]

I think if you look at the maps of both Oxford and Cambridge it shows that Cambridge town centre is more confined and with more narrow streets, which now many are pedestrianised are very pleasant. About 5 years ago I did some work there which meant spending many weeks there. We left the car in the hotel car park and either walked, or used buses &  taxis.
Oxford being on the River Thames / Oxford canal - has meant I have often stopped there when passing through by boat. I didn't go to either Oxford or Cambridge University - so I can say I like each about the same but Oxford wins by a wisker.

[#13]

Oxford's public transport system is a bit of a mess.
Gold card holders (use to be) allowed on the busses from 08:00, hence come winter, to save on heating costs, Gold card holders use to 'ride the busses' for a couple of hours in the morning to get warm, no room for school kids on the bus.
not sure if its changed, but when working in Oxford, I used to either had to walk or cycle.
Main priority of new government should sort out public transport. But then, the more cars on the "school run" the more tax revenue on fuel.
It would be an unpopular decision, but a £10 charge on Gold card bus passes, restricted to after 09:30 use, and free transport for school children between 08:00 and 09:00 and 16:00 and 17:00 would sort out some of the traffic issues.

[#14]

Kids around here come home from school at 14:30....... 

[#15]

Agreed that school children should get "free" bus pass valid for the local area ( our secondary school buses seem to be on the move about 3 to 3.30 and sometimes a later one to allow for after school clubs etc..  Around here the school buses are seperate to normal service buses so no real issues - and senior bus pass holders have to state a destination and are issued with a ticket.
@journeys - What improvements in public transport are you suggesting ?
what I would like to see is better coordination of buses and train times - and if a train is late a bus delays departure for a while.
We have a lot of new local tram systems going in now, and improvements to existing ones such as Manchester, etc., and some of the PN guys have said the Sheffield trams are very good.
Although there are people wining as usual, Edinburgh's trams are progressing - but like so many such projects - it is late.
The High speed Line into St Pancras was on time and within budget, and new railway lines , expansions, double tracking going in already - reversing policies of BR since Beeching.
A lot of railway electrication is now in the planning stages - Great Western, Liverpool to Manchester, Manchester to Preston, some being worked on - Edinburgh to Glasgow