Herefordshire schools cut down on traffic congestion

Herefordshire school children are getting behind plans to cut down transport to and from school by helping their schools create travel plans.

School travel plans focus on schools’ travel and transport problems, creating solutions and initiatives that will encourage safe and sustainable travel to school and reduce congestion

Across the county sixty-five schools already have travel plans and a further twenty-two have developed school travel plans this year. These schools will receive grant awards from the Department for Education and Skills and will be presented with award certificates at a prestigious and entertaining ceremony at the Town Hall on Wednesday 4th July from 1pm-3pm. 

Each primary school will receive £4,000-£5,000 and each secondary school will receive £9,000-10,000 to help them implement their plans.

In addition, 16 schools will receive School Travel Achievement Awards for implementing their travel plans and achieving their targets.  As well as a certificate, they will receive a cheque for £500 to help them with future walking and cycling to school projects.

The ceremony will be hosted by Jamie Elliott, year 11 pupil from Weobley High School and the certificates will be presented to pupil representatives by special guest Peter Plisner, transport correspondent for BBC Midlands Today.

Ray Hughes, the west midlands regional school travel adviser, will also be making a presentation.

Four pupils from Ashfield Park Primary School in Ross-on-Wye will tell the audience how they went about developing their travel plan.

Pupils from Staunton-on-Wye, Eardisley and Whitchurch primary schools will be making presentations on how they went about encouraging parents and children to change their travelling habits.

‘Spike’, the hedgehog, will be in attendance and there will be displays from a number of schools as well as the Eco-Schools team.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said:  “I’m delighted that so many more schools have developed travel plans this year.  It is very encouraging to see schools making a real difference to the problems of traffic, congestion and safety on school runs.

“Over the last four years 80% of Herefordshire Schools have written travel plans, so we are well ahead of the 100% target set for 2010.  This ceremony is a celebration of our schools’ achievements and the support and funding they have received from the council to provide safer routes to school.”