Thousands of children across Wales started walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting to school today as part of the UK’s biggest inter-school active travel challenge.
THE BIG WALK AND WHEEL, organised by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (the new name for Sustrans), takes place from 16th to 27th March. It includes an attempt for the largest ever number of bike buses on one day – where children cycle with their families to school together. Look up the schools map HERE.
Over 30 schools run Walk Wheel Cycle Trust’s FRIDEDAYS BIKE BUS throughout the year, and a record number are now expected to take part in the Big Walk and Wheel on 27 March. The day will include an attempt to set a new record for the most FRideDays Bike Buses running on a single day, as families and friends cycle to school together. With children also walking, wheeling and scooting, it promises to be an unprecedented day of active travel for school pupils.
Last year 644,384 pupils completed nearly three million (2,840,575) active travel journeys. If these children had travelled to school by car instead, it could have created just over 2,880 tonnes of CO2 and just over 4,500 kg of NOx.
Schwalbe Tyres UK sponsors the challenge, now in its 17th-year, as well as the FRideDays Bike Bus project. The activities aim to help and inspire families to make active journeys to boost health, reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and have fun.
Rachel Toms, Connected Neighbourhoods Director at Walk Wheel Cycle Trust told us…..
“The Big Walk and Wheel and FRideDays bike buses help make the school run a healthier, more environmentally-friendly and more joyful experience for kids and adults alike.
Walking, cycling, wheeling or scooting are a great start and end to any school day, with teachers reporting that children arrive feeling happier, more alert and ready for learning.
An active school run also has a positive impact on neighbourhoods and communities around schools, with quieter, safer streets, and less air pollution.
Many local authorities are making an active school run safer too, by creating ‘School Streets’, where traffic is restricted at peak times. This means more families can walk, wheel and cycle to school all year round.”
Kane Morgan, a teacher at Radnor Primary School runs a regular FRideDays Bike Bus said…..
“We see it as a brilliant way to bring our school community together while highlighting how important health, wellbeing and active travel are to us. And of course, we love a bit of friendly competition that unites everyone in a shared goal!”
The Big Walk and Wheel includes small and large primary schools, SEND schools, and secondary schools, logging their journeys to compete for prizes.
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust makes it possible for people to walk, wheel and cycle. The Big Walk and Wheel and FRideDays are great ways to form positive habits early in life to help create a more sustainable future.
Walk Wheel Cycle Trust offers free information and support to help school communities set up their own FRideDays bike buses.
There are also free resources to encourage pupils to help reduce air pollution and learn about the benefits of active travel for themselves, their school, their neighbourhood and the whole planet.
More people travelling actively for short, everyday journeys – such as to and from school – means less traffic on the roads, easing congestion, reducing pollution and creating safer school neighbourhoods.
Walking, wheeling, cycling or scooting to school also improves the health and wellbeing of students and parents with teachers saying children are more engaged in class.
You can find out more about THE BIG WALK AND WHEEL HERE. And for FRIDEDAYS BIKE BUS it’s HERE
