THE SCHOOL run will take on an entirely different complexion from the start of the new school year with American-style yellow buses rolling out across Macclesfield and Bollington.
Cheshire County Council has spent £500,000 on three of the buses to take children from Bollington to Tytherington High School, with a fourth serving All Hallows High School.
From the start of the new school term in January, the single decker yellow bus - a familiar sight in small-town America - will be seen wending its way down Manchester Road and Brooklands Avenue.
Once the vehicles are in use, each child will have their own seat, will have to wear a seat belt, and CCTV cameras will be in operation.
County councillor for Bollington and Disley, Elspeth Wallace, said: "Each child will be given their own seat and there will be CCTV cameras on board so the drivers can keep an eye on them. Some of the behaviour on school buses all over the county is a bit too much at times."
With the emphasis on safety, it is hoped that more parents will feel confident sending their children to school on the bus to cut down on car use. The other advantage for the council is that the buses are cheaper than current contracts.
Coun Wallace said: "There are six areas in Cheshire, but we find that contract prices in the east are a lot higher than in the rest of the county. We did buy two of these buses two years ago for the Northwich area and they have worked very well. Officers went through the contract prices and decided that the east should get something for a change."
The buses will be based at the Lyme Green depot - along with an extra vehicle kept as a "spare".
Welcoming the scheme, the headteacher of Tytherington High School, Andy Robinson, said: "School buses in this country generally is an area where there could be much improvement.
"These new buses are going to have better specifications and are designed specifically for carrying school children. They will each have their own seat on the bus and will have to wear a seat belt.
"We are absolutely delighted and I would like to think in future that all of our buses will be the same, but it's all about funding. I am grateful for the support Coun Wallace has given to the area in getting these buses."
