Pupils gear up for Bike to School Week 2017

12.00 | 31 May 2017 |

Bike to School Week 2017 will provide an opportunity for children and parents to kick-start active travel habits, according to the event organisers, Sustrans.

The annual event takes place next week (5-9 June) and Sustrans is challenging those who use a car for the school journey to switch to cycling, scooting or walking.

Pointing to figures which show that the proportion of children walking and cycling to school in England has been declining since 1995, Chris Bennett, head of behaviour change and engagement at Sustrans, says the need to rebalance the way children travel is ‘stronger than ever’.

Sustrans also says the week is an opportunity to celebrate the good work already being done in schools to inspire more children and their parents to choose active travel.

To support the week’s activities, Sustrans has produced a series of teaching resources, including information on planning the school journey and conducting a traffic survey.

Other resources include calculators showing calories burned and carbon emissions saved, learning about the positive effects of exercise on the heart, and showing children how to carry out simple checks on bikes and scooters.  

Chris Bennett said: “We hope as many schools as possible will get behind our Bike to School Week, which is a great opportunity to put cycling, scooting and walking under the spotlight.

“The need to rebalance the way we travel is stronger than ever. Cycling, scooting and walking is part of the solution to many of today’s challenges – from air pollution to congestion, childhood obesity and physical inactivity.

“The average primary school journey is 1.6 miles – a distance that can be cycled, scooted or walked as an easy way of building more physical activity into our busy lives.”

Bike to School Week is funded by the Bicycle Association on behalf of the cycle industry through its Bike Hub scheme.

Schools interested in participating in the event can find out more information via the Sustrans website.


 

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