AMERICAN-STYLE yellow school buses could soon be a common sight on Essex roads.

First is spearheading a campaign to reduce the number of cars used during the school run, by encouraging children to take dedicated buses.

Several schemes already operate in the county and the company wants to encourage more schools to take part.

Its campaign follows research involving 1,500 parents, carried out by www.raisingkids.co.uk which showed many parents are seeking an alternative to the traditional school run.

The survey found 86 per cent of parents would be willing to send their children to school on a dedicated bus service and about half were concerned with the environmental benefits.

Special operations controller Nick Field, leading the campaign, said: "Our own experience of operating yellow school bus schemes, both in the UK and in North America, shows this is a tried and tested way of delivering a high quality, safe and reliable home-to-school transport system.

"The schemes deliver benefits to a wide range of groups and offer a win-win situation for everyone involved.

"There's huge concern among parents about the environmental damage contributed by the school run and an appetite to use school buses.

"One of the other advantages of the dedicated yellow school bus fleet is the buses can be used during the day for trips and other private hires.

"I will be contacting schools and colleges across the county to see how our yellow school bus schemes could be of benefit to them."

In Essex, First operates dedicated yellow school bus schemes with the Anglo European School at Ingatestone, and with the Independent Schools Consortium serving schools in the Chelmsford and Colchester areas.