GUIDANCE on how to deal with bullying on the buses, and what to do when your friends are in danger of distracting the driver, is being issued to every school in Essex.
With tens of thousands of youngsters travelling across the county on contract and private vehicles each day, it is hoped that as many as possible will watch the short films to inform them of the possible dangers.
Essex County Council has just launched B Safe B Cool The Collection, a DVD of 16 cartoon and real-life short films, plus interactive resources.
It has been issued as a way of keeping up with the demand from schools on giving pupils advice on dealing with problems they face on the journey to and from school, of which bullying is top of the list.
Cllr Kay Twitchen, Chairman of Essex County Council, said at the launch: "I was at the start of the new Young Essex Assembly recently, and yet again tackling bullying is their number one priority.
"Staff do all they can to stop it happening in schools but have no control over what occurs on the journey to and from school.
"I hope seeing these films will help pupils realise they are not alone, and that adults do realise it's a problem.
"I want them to feel able to tell their mum, tell a teacher, tell a friend and get some help.
"I feel so strongly about this, and worried about how sad it makes young people feel.
"I hope this goes some way to show them it does not have to happen."
The pack, which includes print-off resources and interactive games as well as the films, is suitable for ages 5 to 16, but is particularly targeted at youngsters who move up to secondary school, many of whom travel on public transport for the first time.
In Essex 23,000 youngsters, about 12 per cent of the pupil population, qualify for a place on a council-funded bus or taxi.
Many thousands more travel to school on private buses and trains, paid for by parents.
The pack includes a video of a short live theatre production portraying bullying scenarios on a bus, plus Caught on Camera, a series of incidents involving students as seen through the eyes of a CCTV camera.
Gillian Mills, the county's passenger transport co-ordinator, said: "We have made this film individually over the years but they have never been brought together as a collection.
"The aim of this new resource is for schools to use it in their curriculum, maybe incorporate in their PSHE or transition lessons, so that the information will reach a much wider range of youngsters than before.
"The films look at young people travelling on all transport, not just school buses, showing the impact that anti-social behaviour can have. We have no significant problem in Essex but there are pockets of poor behaviour that we proactively try to deal with.
"Children when they are in groups without an adult sometimes need guidance and education on how to behave."
