A GUIDE to help parents and their children find out about education transport services for schools and colleges has been launched by Wiltshire County Council.

The Education Transport Guide 2004/05 has been produced by the county council's passenger transport unit.

The booklet tells parents, pupils and students from primary school age children through to further education students how to access transport and education services.

A useful directory of phone numbers for information about travel to school and college is included inside.

Copies are being sent to thousands of homes throughout Wiltshire.

The guide is also available by contacting the passenger transport unit on (01225) 713397.

Details of how to become a school crossing patroller or a passenger assistant are also included in the guide.

Both jobs are paid and very rewarding and the hours can fit around the employee's day.

Passenger assistants offer help before, during and after journeys to children and adults with learning and/or physical difficulties who are travelling to schools, colleges and day centres.

Every year, about 13,000 pupils and students travel to school or college using transport services provided by the county council.

Alison Lawrence, education transport policy and development manager, said: "The guide should be really useful to parents, pupils and students using county council transport services to travel to and from school and college."