Public Health Wales has published a new ‘easy-to-use’ visual guide to help organisations play a bigger part in encouraging children to walk or cycle to school.
With fewer than half of children in Wales currently walking or cycling to primary school, the new ‘doorstep to desk’ guide shows how housing developers, transport officers, planners and the police could play a role in making walking and cycling to school an easier choice.
The guide has been produced in consultation with experts from the Active Travel to School National Stakeholder Group – a multi-agency group working to make walking, scooting, or cycling the preferred way of getting to school for children in Wales.
Robert Sage, Public Health Wales, said: “We want to give children the confidence to make walking and cycling their first choice for getting around.
“Parents and children are influenced by many factors when they decide how they’re going to get to school, including how it feels to travel through their community.
“This new guide will help organisations work in a coordinated way, and consider their contribution to making walking, cycling or scooting to school a safe, enjoyable and popular choice.”
Steve Brooks, Sustrans Cymru added: “It’s imperative that organisations and community groups work together to help younger generations across Wales lead more active and healthier lifestyles.
“Cycling and walking need to be safe, straightforward and attractive options in order to achieve this.”
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