School run a healthy option

Date published: 12/05/2008

The school run could get a lot healthier and traffic free thanks to a new website.

The new Travel to School site at traveltoschool.com has been set up to help children, parents and teachers make a healthier choice for the journey to school.

It shows schools how to set up a School Travel Plan and use a range of ideas to encourage pupils and school staff to travel to school sustainably and cut congestion at the school gates.

Rochdale Borough Council's cabinet member for schools, Irene Davidson said: "Schools in the borough have already gained national recognition for their efforts to help children lead healthy lives. We have now joined with other councils in Greater Manchester to support this website that is for anybody who wants to find healthier and environmentally friendly way to travel to and from school.

"Even small changes can make a big difference. St Edward's Primary School got a Government grant for cycle storage after adopting a School Travel Plan. Now a massive 40% of children cycle to school at least once a week."

The benefits of travel to school schemes include:

Increased health and fitness in children
Walking and cycling helps combat rising levels of obesity, which lead to chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease in adult life.

Reduced respiratory problems
Levels of asthma are now 6 times higher than they were in the 80s. Evidence proves that asthma can be caused by car exhaust fumes. By reducing the number of cars making the short journey to school, we can make the air cleaner - for everyone.

Increased independence and road safety skills
Without controlled exposure to road conditions at an early age, children are less able to deal with traffic when they are travelling independently as teenagers. This has contributed to road accidents becoming the leading cause of death in children under 16.

Making children more alert and ready to learn Teachers report that children that walk or cycle arrive at school much more awake. Evidence from Scotland also shows that these children achieve better academic results.

Bringing about lifelong changes in travel habitsBy enabling children to walk, cycle and use public transport with confidence, they are able to access a greater range of services and opportunities in later life.