Grants help schoolchildren to travel smarter

5.40.20pm GMT Sat 6th Feb 2010

• SCHOOLS across Richmond upon Thames have benefited from almost £25,000 of grants to improve the way children and staff travel to and from school each week.

The Council's Smarter Travel Programme has given money to 14 schools during 2009 to pay for projects like cycle and scooter racks being installed, providing pool bikes for staff to use, buying high visibility jackets for children and paying for cycle repair workshops. Cllr David Trigg, Richmond Council's Cabinet Member for Traffic, Transport and Parking, said:

"By encouraging children to walk or cycle to school now, we're laying the foundations for them to think differently about how they get around in the future. We want to make it as easy as possible for pupils, and indeed their teachers, to get to school on foot or by cycling; providing bike racks and training on how to look after cycles are simple things we can do to help them along. Giving small grants to so many of our schools helps us to make sure as many people as possible benefit from it. The more people we can convince to travel under their own steam, the healthier they will be. I also believe it will help to lower congestion on our roads during the rush hour each morning, and will save mums and dads money as well, as they'll be running their cars that bit less every day."

The Council's three year Smarter Travel Richmond upon Thames programme, funded by Transport for London, aims to encourage people to adopt more environmentally friendly ways of getting around in the borough and across the capital. Among the schools to have benefited is The Vineyard School in Richmond, which has received £2,600 for walking bus materials including high visibility jackets and equipment, and for installing a scooter rack for children. Stanley Infant School and Nursery in Teddington has received £1,600 for scooter racks and safe walking training resources for teachers to use. Meadlands Primary School in Ham has been given £2,000 to buy cycle helmets, bike and scooter storage, and to mark out safe walking areas through the school's car park.

Following requests from headteachers which have applied to have their travel plans accredited, the Council has also secured 20 sustainable travel performances from an educational theatre company, which will be visiting schools during the next year. The company will show children through performances and workshops how they can stay safe when out and about. The Council is encouraging all of the borough's schools - state and private - to apply for grants to help them improve how teachers, parents, staff and pupils travel.

Richmond Council is aiming to become the greenest borough in London by 2012. Future Smarter Travel initiatives will include more cycle training and the introduction of cycle routes, dedicated bike parking and car club bays. Travel plans have been developed with all schools, and workplaces are also signing up to show staff more environmentally friendly ways to travel. Better information on sustainable transport options for residents and businesses is also being promoted.

Related Link:

Smarter Travel Richmond upon Thames