Government launches £2m active travel boost for schools

The Department of Transport (DfT) has launched a £2 million fund to help increase cycling and walking at schools across the country.

The new funding, which is part of the Government’s £2 billion Gear Change plan to revolutionise active travel, was announced by Cycling Minister Chris Heaton-Harris today as Bike to School Week gears up across England.

A new £1m programme will see cycle repair workshops set up in primary schools and local neighbourhoods to make sure students’ bikes are fit for the road.

‘Doctor Bike’ clinics will be rolled out next month, targeting areas where children, including those with disabilities, are more likely to need support in getting their bikes roadworthy for regular use on the school run.

A further £1m has also been announced to boost the number of children walking to school.

The Walk to School Outreach Programme – which has already generated four million new walking trips – is being extended to roll out further measures to support walking.

This includes tackling the barriers that may prevent children and their families choosing to walk to and from school, as well as providing schools with classroom materials and access to local coordinators who can help schools get new walking initiatives up and running.

Heaton-Harris said: “Cycling and walking is good for people and the planet’s health, so we want half of all journeys to be cycled or walked by 2030.

“To do that, we must encourage young people to see cycling and walking as normal as getting the bus or train.”