Active Travel for Children
Exercise is a great start to the day, be it walking, cycling or scooting. Arriving at school having burnt calories means children are more alert and attentive at school as well as more likely to sleep better due to getting more exercise. The majority of schools have an amount of vehicles dropping children off currently. It’s an easy routine to get into. However we should be working against it, for the well-being of children, as well as to reduce pollution and amount of vehicles on the road … and it will save parents money!
Encouragement for children to be active in getting to school is provided by schools participating in schemes such as
- Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel (2 weeks in March),
- Living Streets Walk to School Week (1 week in May),
- Bikeability Cycle to School Week (1 week in September),
The hope with these schemes is that it creates a habit to avoid getting a ride in a metal box to school. Not one Whitby and district school currently participates in these events! In the same way no Whitby schools include cycling in the School Travel Plan due to the risk assessment (though we understand that Glaisdale do). In fact, for North Yorkshire as a whole the number of schools participating in the Sustrans event per year are 2022 (4), 2023 (12), 2024 (8) – very low levels, with no sign of improvement.
Bikeability training is currently being offered to all year 5 and 6 pupils via primary schools (level 1 and 2 accreditation respectively). Training of this nature provides a level of confidence in riding a bike at an early age and is essential for all children. There is a level 3 Bikeability as an option at secondary schools (how to ride in more complex road situations) but it is for parents to fund, and we are not aware of it being utilised in this district.
Bikeability training is great, however it should be followed up by having places to use these skills. The lack of cycle infrastructure close to the residential areas where these children live, as well as the lack of a default 20mph speed limit on (particularly residential) roads, typically means that they have little opportunity to build their confidence further by using what they have learned. This reduces the value of the training.
It is a priority for us to help address this lack of activity of the young, by facilitating more active travel infrastructure, as well as encouraging schools to allow cycle to school.
