ANGLESEY pupils, and their families have been experiencing all the benefits of active travel to school over recent months.
Welsh Government has provided funding for seven Anglesey primary schools to take part in ‘Living Streets’ WOW: Walk to School challenge’ which encourages using active travel, to and from school.
The seven schools currently taking part are Ysgol Gynradd Bodedern, Ysgol Gymuned Y Fali, Ysgol Y Graig, Ysgol Llandegfan, Ysgol Llanfechell, Ysgol Corn Hir and Ysgol Llanfawr.
The national challenge is a pupil-led initiative where children self-report how they get to school every day using an interactive travel tracker. If they travel sustainably walk, wheel, cycle, or scoot once a week for a month, they get rewarded with a badge.
The initiative increases engagement as well as active travel rates to schools. It also supports pupils’ health and wellbeing whilst also reducing congestion and pollution.
Since taking part in the initiative, the seven schools on the Island have seen an average increase of 27% in active travel to school.
In June, Ysgol Llanfawr was named as one of the most engaged and active ‘WOW schools’ across Wales. This achievement saw them secure a top 10 place on the national leaderboard, beating over 200 schools in the process.
Anglesey’s Education and Welsh Language portfolio holder, Councillor Dafydd Roberts, said, “We are very pleased with how our schools have embraced this positive challenge. It has led to fantastic results, and we look forward to more schools launching their own challenges in the near future.”
Anglesey’s Planning, Public Protection and Climate Change Portfolio Holder, Councillor Nicola Roberts, added, “It’s encouraging to see such positive figures recorded. Active travel has so many benefits, it leads to better physical, mental, and social health. Furthermore, it reduces congestion, air pollution, carbon emissions and improves the road safety environment outside the school gates.
“More people embracing active travel will directly support our aim to achieve net zero status by 2030 and the climate change pledges outlined in the Council Plan (2023 to 2028).”
More information can be found here: https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school/
