Save money, enjoy the weather, and walk, scoot or cycle to school!
Buckinghamshire Council is encouraging parents to consider more sustainable ways to travel to and from school as the new school year begins. Leaving the car at home can allow children to enjoy the outdoors and lets them practice crossing roads – meanwhile benefitting from some healthy exercise before the school day starts.
For those who prefer not to walk, traveling by scooting and cycling are great sustainable alternatives to driving.
If scooting or cycling from home seems inaccessible, then parking at least five minutes away from your destination and using a form of active transport to travel the rest of the way can also be a great way to get moving while saving money. This can also lessen congestion around schools, ease parking issues and have a positive impact on local residents – all while getting a little bit of fresh air. Many schools across Buckinghamshire also have bike racks – you just need to remember to bring your own lock.
Steven Broadbent, Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
“The benefits of not driving to and from school are as significant for parents and carers as they are to children. You can save money on fuel and improve local air quality, meanwhile avoiding traffic jams and the stress of finding somewhere to park. The government recommends 60 minutes of activity per day across a week for school age children, and 150 minutes for adults – why not use walking or biking to school to get everyone moving on regular basis.
“Choosing to leave your car at home will also make a lasting investment into our environment, helping to make Buckinghamshire the best place to live, raise a family, work and do business.”
Buckinghamshire Council encourages and supports residents of all ages to take part in active travel as its part of its ambitious Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy – which aims for the county to be carbon neutrality or net-zero in terms of carbon emissions by 2050.
If you are keen on walking but wish to make it even more fun or share the load with other parents, creating an organised walking bus or a ‘crocodile’ might be a good option. You can find out more about cycling, scooting and forming your own crocodile to walk to school at Initiatives – School Travel Planning.