Pupils get active on their journey to school

School children in Exmouth and Exeter are being encouraged to get active on their journey to school over the coming weeks.

Devon County Council and Sustrans are working in partnership through the Access to Education programme to get more young people in the Exeter, Exmouth, Newton Abbot and Totnes to walk, cycle or take public transport to school to help tackle congestion. The scheme is being piloted by eight local authorities, led by Devon County Council.

In Exeter and Exmouth, the project is currently working with three local primary schools - Pinhoe Church of England Primary School, St Leonard's Church of England Primary School and Withycombe Raleigh Church of England Primary School.

This week, pupils at Withycombe Primary School are taking on the Active Travel Passport Challenge. Pupils are getting a special passport stamped each day they have either walked, cycled or scooted to school. Pupils who collect five stamps will be entered into a prize draw to win a new scooter supplied by Madd Gear UK, who are supporting the work in schools.

Tomorrow (Tuesday 18 June), all pupils, parents and staff at the school that cycle, walk or scoot to school will receive a free breakfast, and on Thursday 20 June, Knobblies bike shop in Exmouth is holding a Dr Bike clinic at the Withycombe Primary where all pupils and staff who ride to school will have a free cycle safety check.

St Leonard's Church of England Primary School will have its active travel to school week next week with its free breakfast on Tuesday 25 June, while Pinhoe Primary will take part the following week, with its free breakfast on Tuesday 2 July. Saddles and Paddles will hold a Dr Bike clinic at St Leonard's Primary on Thursday 27 June and at Pinhoe Primary on Thursday 4 July.

Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: "This project is about encouraging more pupils to walk, cycle or take public transport to school - and the aim is to establish long term change. The school run can cause congestion, but if schoolchildren and their parents give it a try, they can see there is an alternative to the car. Not only does it ease congestion it also improves health, well being and the local environment."

Tracey Fey, Active Travel Officer for Sustrans, said: "It's great to see so many children choosing to travel to school more actively. They really enjoy the quality time they have with their friends or parents when walking, scooting or cycling to school and they are much more alert in lessons too."

Exwick Heights Primary School, St Nicholas Catholic Primary School and Bassetts Farm Primary School, will join the Access to Education programme in September.