Children in England will have better access to walk-to-school programmes and cycle training schemes over the next two years following to a multimillion-pound investment announced by Active Travel England (ATE).
The £60m package will fund initiatives designed to give up to two million more children better road skills and that aim to help make it easier for parents to choose greener travel options.
ATE commissioner Chris Boardman said: “Giving kids transport independence and enabling them to walk, wheel or cycle on the school run is what they want, and what we want for them.
“This £60m funding package will help put the joy back into journeys and create a generation of young people who feel confident to make healthier and greener travel choices.”
The funding includes £50m to expand Bikeability cycle training and a further £5m to support walk-to-school programmes for pupils across England via the charity Living Streets.
READ MORE: School Street trial schemes implemented to promote active travel
Stephen Edwards, chief executive of Living Streets, and a CiTTi Awards 2023 judge, said: “This funding will support even more families to choose active ways to travel to school, boosting the nation’s health, reducing congestion and improving air quality.”
Fellow CiTTi Awards 2023 judge and Bikeability Trust chief executive Emily Cherry, added: “We and ATE share an ambition that every child has the confidence to cycle and can enjoy this skill for life.
“Together, we can make sure that no child leaves school without the knowledge, confidence and opportunity to cycle.”
Also included in the package is £4m to extend Cycling UK’s Big Bike Revival programme to March 2025.
READ MORE: Active travel prescription trial funding allocations revealed
Furthermore, an additional £500,000 will fund an extension to the Modeshift Stars and Active Travel Ambassador schemes.
The Stars programme provides recognition for schools, businesses and organisations that demonstrate excellence in supporting and delivering active travel plans in their community.
Active travel ambassadors work with secondary school students to encourage their peers to travel actively.
Innovations and achievements in active travel will be highlighted and celebrated at the second annual CiTTi Awards on 21 November 2023 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table today!
