Warwickshire Schools win travel awards
Three Warwickshire schools have won awards for their work on safe and more sustainable journeys to and from school.
Three Warwickshire schools have won awards for their work on safe and more sustainable journeys to and from school.
Eighteen schools across the county submitted a School Travel Plan by March 2007, as part of a Government-sponsored scheme to promote safe, healthy and more environmentally sustainable ways to get from home to school - and back again. The aim is to not only benefit pupils but also to ease peak-time congestion on the roads and around schools.
The STP awards were presented to the three winning schools at a special event held at the Playbox Theatre in Warwick on Tuesday October 2. Sydenham Primary (Leamington) scooped the prize for the Best Walking School whilst the School Travel Prize award was shared jointly by Welcombe Hills (Stratford) and Abbotts Farm Infant (Rugby). All three schools received plaques in recognition of their commitment and achievements.
“School Travel Plans are an important initiative in the bid to reduce congestion, increase walking and cycling as a healthier option - and help save the planet,” said Warwickshire County Council Sustainable Travel Officer Hannah Collett.
Hannah explained that schools can get grants for developing a School Travel Plan - of around £5,000 for primaries and £10,000 for secondaries. The cash is available to help schools set up sustainable travel options like ‘walking bus’ or ‘park and stride’ schemes, or provide facilities such as cycle parking or parents’ waiting shelters.
“The October 2 STP awards ceremony was Warwickshire’s first but we hope to make it an annual event,” said Hannah.
County Councillor Martin Healey was delighted to attend the awards ceremony. He said: “I congratulate the winning schools on a job well done. I believe School Travel Plans can really make a difference. Exercise is key to health and the school run is a major factor in peak-time congestion - so I hope to see many more schools submitting Travel Plans for next year’s STP awards.”