Initiatives
We offer a range of schemes to help support your children's school travel plan:
Walking Buses
A walking bus is a group of children, walking to school with at least two parent volunteers. Parents take it in turns, on a rota basis, to walk with the children.
Walk Once a Week (WOW)
Walk Once a Week schemes involve children walking, either on a set day of the week, or at least one day a week. Some schools have created their own versions of this scheme, for example 'Trek to School Tuesday' or 'Foot Power Friday'.
Living Streets run a Walk on Wednesday/Walk Once a Week scheme. Children can collect badges and certificates.
Walk to School Week
Walk to School Week is a national event that takes place annually in May. During this week, schools are encouraged to promote sustainable modes of travel, particularly walking all or part of the way to school.
There is also an International Walk to School Month, which takes place in October every year.
For more information regarding the Walk to School Week campaign:
Pedestrian Training Scheme
This is a two part scheme covering theory and practical. The scheme is for year three and four children and is designed to do the following:
- Increase their knowledge and understanding of the road environment
- To prepare them to be independent road users
- Encourage parents to walk to school with their children
- Reduce traffic congestion at the school gate.
Cycling
Cycle training is available to all schools in two parts: a basic cycle skills course including knowledge of the traffic environment delivered within the school and an on-road cycle training course delivered to pupils in years five to nine, and adults.
For more information contact our Safe and Sustainable Travel Team using our initiatives enquiry form.
Park and Stride
Park and Stride schemes are aimed at children who live too far away from school to walk all the way. The scheme allows the following:
- Parents to drop their children off at a distance away from the school, rather than driving all the way to school.
- Schools can ask a local pub or shop for permission to use their car park as a drop off point, or
- Schools can draw up a map, with a mile radius marked on it, and parents agree to park outside this radius and walk the rest of the way with their children.
Car sharing
Car sharing involves giving a lift to someone who lives close by or on the way to or from school. Schemes can be formal, where the school holds a database of parents who are willing to car share, or informal arrangements between parents.
Assemblies
We can come into school to deliver assemblies. This is to help children learn about sustainable travel to school. The most popular assembly is:
Dipzy assembly - An assembly about parking. Children are encouraged to think about why parking is not acceptable in certain places, and take the message home to their parents.
We also deliver assemblies to children explaining the following:
- School travel plan
- Walking bus
- Walking to school schemes or events happening in school.
Please contact our Safe and Sustainable Travel Team via our initiatives enquiry form.