Busing rules are being questioned in a de Winton community as a new school year begins.

The school district believes children can walk a couple kilometres to school and parents agree except when young kids are crossing a busy highway alone.

The school is Heritage Heights and some students have to cross Highway 552 to get to class.

There are no sidewalks and the speed limit is 80 kilometres an hour.

Janine Anthony, a concerned parent, would like to see some changes.

 “Putting in a crosswalk and bringing the speed limit down to 30 or 40.”

Anthony’s eight year old daughter Katrina is going into grade four while her six year old Kayla begins grade one.   

The family lives less than two point four kilometres from school and because Katrina is in grade four the Foothills School District says the girls can walk to school rather than ride the bus.

The girls could take a school bus but there is a wait list for families who within the walking guidelines and a busing fee.

“We don’t mind paying the $200.00 per child. It’s just that they believe kids can cross that highway and that’s not right at all. It’s very dangerous,” says Anthony.

Foothills School Division Superintendent John Bailey says other families at Heritage Heights are in the same boat and they either walk or take the bus if there’s room.

“It is a safe area,” says Bailey. “Alberta Transportation has speed limits set in that area. We have not had any incidents. We hope none ever will occur.”

Bailey says Heritage Heights and the new catholic school next door, Christ The Redeemer School, have asked the province to lower the speed limit.

“We’re still waiting to hear a response about that. We did ask for that just to make it that much safer.”

That new Catholic school has the same busing policy and children who live less than two point four kilometres from school must pay $250.00 to ride the bus.

 In Calgary, the Calgary Board of Education charges a flat rate to all students who ride, that's $335.00 a year.

(With files from Lea Willams-Doherty)