Pupils walking the walk

Chatelherault Primary School is the latest school to sign up to South Lanarkshire Council’s WOW (Walk Once a Week / Walk on a Wednesday) initiative.

The scheme aims to reduce the number of children who are consistently driven to school by getting pupils to walk at least once a week.

Participating children receive a diary to be ticked when they have walked to school, and a ‘goody’ four times a year when they have fulfilled their commitment to walk to school.

Not all children are in a position to walk to school, and therefore WOW allows children living too far away to ‘park and stride’ the rest of the way.

Councillor John Murray, chair of South Lanarkshire Council’s road safety forum, said: “The WOW scheme is a great way to encourage children to walk to school.

“As well as the obvious health benefits, if more children walked to school congestion would be reduced around the school gates, making this a safer area for all.”

For more information contact James Davitt, South Lanarkshire Council, on 01698 453 857 or contact the road safety team on 01698 453 620.