Staff and pupils at a Bolton school are celebrating after becoming the first in the area to be recognised for their outstanding efforts to encourage children to walk, cycle or wheel to school.
Kearsley West Primary School has been awarded a Modeshift STAR accreditation following their efforts to promote active and sustainable travel across the school community.
An important step was to introduce Level One and Level Two Bikeability classes, which teach practical cycling skills and understanding so children can cycle confidently and safely on the roads.
Children also had the chance to assess the streets and routes around their school as part of an Active Travel Inspection, saying what they liked and where things could be better.
Their ideas and observations were shared with the school and council so that they could influence improvements in their neighbourhood in future.
Kearsley West is also one of four primary schools that introduced Bolton’s first School Streets projects this year.
It means that on days when the schools are open, access to some nearby streets is controlled at school drop off and pick up times.
With most cars briefly off the nearby roads, parents and children find it much easier and safer to walk, cycle or wheel to school.
Feedback on School Streets in recent surveys by Bolton Council has been overwhelmingly positive, with people citing improved safety for children, reduced traffic congestion and easier road crossing.
With almost three-quarters of road accidents involving children happening in the morning and afternoon, schemes like School Streets help keep children safe on the way to and from school.
The accreditation comes from Modeshift, a national not-for-profit organisation that aims to inspire people to walk, wheel, ride and use shared transport, in the belief that it makes communities healthier, wealthier and more inviting.
Kearsley West headteacher Jackie Fitton accepted the award from the Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, alongside Cllr Roger Pedley, Cllr Sylvia Crossley, Cllr Debbie Newall, and Bolton Council Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Jackie Schofield.
Bolton Council’s Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Jackie Schofield, said:
“Congratulations to staff, children and parents at Kearsley West Primary School for their well-deserved accreditation.
“Giving children the opportunity to walk, cycle or wheel to and from school is incredibly valuable.
“As well as being fun, it can help to instil a love of being active that stays with children as they grow and encourages them to be healthy now and throughout their lives.”