I suspect Northamptonshire County Council are being somewhat harsh in cutting the bus -- but 3 miles
along a straight, fairly level if reasonably busy road should be well within the cycling abilities
of 11 year olds. The A43 crossing is not great -- but Darwinian principles apply and any kids that
manage the first week will probably survive to fail their GCSE ;-o
It would keep the little darlings fit as well so they would be able to walk for an hour
without whining.
T
northamptontoday.co.ukViewArticle.aspxOpen ↗
Article reproduced below.
streetmap.co.uknewmap.srfOpen ↗
srf&searchp=newsearch.srf
Sywell Village clearly shown. The school is just off map next door to the hotel shown in square 1,3.
The article says
Long trek to school...
Features Editor Sarah Freeman sets off with the boys on their long walk from Sywell, through
Overstone, to school in Moulton
"It was bad enough doing it this morning, but what about every afternoon as well, five days a week"
Christopher Thorneycroft
We join youngsters on the walk they face after schoolbus service is withdrawn. IT'S 8.03am and I am
walking to school. Accompanied by 11-year-old Jack Trusler and picking up his friend, Christopher
Thorneycroft, along the way, we are road testing the route they will tread each morning and each
afternoon when they start their first term at Moulton School in just a few weeks' time.
Along with the 30 or so children who live in the villages of Overstone and Sywell, the pair have
been told they will no longer qualify for free bus passes under new rules implemented by
Northamptonshire County Council.
For parents without cars or who are struggling to get another child to a different school, the only
option will be to walk. And while there will be inevitable calls of "it will do them good" and "I
used to walk twice that far in my day", times and school timetables have changed.
Not wanting to be outdone by two 11-year-olds, all three of us set off carrying back packs
containing exercise books, a packed lunch and PE kit and, according to Christopher's mum, I also
have cooking today, so have been given an extra carrier bag full of flour, sugar and cocoa powder.
The parents, who have been contesting the county council's decision, wave us off and the walk, which
should take us three quarters of an hour, begins.
From Sywell, we walk through Overstone and reach the Pytchley Gate junction, which will lead us to
the A43, at a little before 8.30am and already we are beginning to flag. "That's about half a mile,
just another two-and-a-half to go," says Christopher, helpfully, as Jack struggles to adjust his
backpack. "It's just silly."
I am beginning to agree, but, having committed to do the walk, there is no turning back. On a
summer's morning, overlooking the cars, many of which are clearly ignoring the 40mph speed limit,
Overstone Lane is quite picturesque. But, in a few weeks' time, dark nights and mornings will be the
norm, not forgetting the winter wind, rain and snow.
There is also the question of street lighting or rather lack of it . . . a criteria not included in
the county council's benchmark for determining safe routes for children walking to school. Allowing
any child to walk along an unlit and, for the most part, deserted stretch of road doesn't appear to
fit in with the increasingly vocal message of vigilance and safety, but nevertheless Jack,
Christopher and I plough on.
"My shoulder's starting to hurt a bit," say Jack, as the three of us stand at the end of the
footpath waiting to cross to the other side.
Helpfully, the path ends on one side and begins on the other on a blind corner and, after several
aborted attempts, we make it to the other side at
8.37am - the bell signalling 10 minutes to registration would have rung two minutes ago.
"We are already late," says Christopher. "That means we would have to get up even earlier. I got up
at 7am today and I was groggy, I don't know what I'd be like if I had to get up any earlier.
"My old school took five minutes max to walk to and for Jack it was even quicker; this is like a
marathon."
We reach the A43 and, even accounting for the reduced amount of traffic because of the school
holidays, we are faced with a constant stream of lorries and cars coming off and on to the
roundabout.
According to the county council, it is acceptable for children to cross the road as there is a
central refuge where they can wait. Jack and Christopher are not convinced.
"We can go now," says Jack, but as he prepares to step out has second thoughts. "I wouldn't really
want to cross on my own.
"There's just three of us, but if you got a big group you wouldn't be able to fit all in the middle.
It's a bit scary."
Three minutes later, we are at the other side, but, with a good 10 to 15 minute walk into the
village ahead of us, we are guaranteed to miss the start of school at 8.45am.
"It's all the way down there, round the corner and through an alley," says Christopher. "We have to
keep going."
We finally arrive at the front gates of Moulton School at 8.58am, 55 minutes after we set off and
more than 10 minutes late for what would have been the start of registration.
"I wouldn't fancy going into lessons now, I'd fall asleep," says Christopher, as we all take off our
backpacks.
"It was bad enough doing it this morning, but what about every afternoon as well, five days a week?
"It's not just not fair."
After nearly an hour's walking with a bag full of books and equipment, I have to agree.
21 August 2003