Six thousand key-rings are being given to local school pupils to help them use Peterborough City Council’s innovative Text-&-Go bus timetable information service.
The key-rings and Text-&-Go leaflets have been distributed to pupils at eight secondary schools to raise awareness of the mobile phone-based system and to show pupils how to identify the SMS code for the bus stops that they regularly use.
“Our research shows that secondary school pupils are one of the largest groups of regular bus users,” said Sara Thompson, senior transport officer for children’s transport at the city council. “Students are also big users of mobile phones so Text-&-Go is an excellent method of allowing students to make an informed choice on how they travel.”
Head teachers across Peterborough have recognised the potential benefits from Text-&-Go to their schools and pupils.
Fred Mann, warden at Arthur Mellows Village College, said: “Arthur Mellows is involved in the ‘Safer Journey to Schools’ initiative under which we are actively exploring many issues relating to student safety, including working in partnership with parents, residents and the city council to reduce traffic flow around the college.
“Text-&-Go is an excellent way of encouraging students to use local buses and fits in well with the college’s broader responsibilities of helping our young people to become more independent.“
To date the key-rings and leaflets have been distributed to pupils at Deacon’s, King’s, Arthur Mellows, Ken Stimpson, John Mansfield, Bretton Woods, Orton Longueville and Bushfield schools.
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