Across the country the number of kids walking, scooting or cycling to school are actually declining, and they’re declining just at the time we need them to go up.
The great irony is… that it’s the school run that makes our streets more congested and dangerous. We know that during morning rush hour, 1 in 4 cars are dropping kids at school – and often a journey of less than a mile. And the reason parents drive is they say the streets aren’t safe, so the vicious cycle continues..
And all the while, it is pupils themselves that are most affected by the congestion and pollution – 60% of the air pollution breathed in by children is during the school run:
But we can break that cycle.
Sustrans and Living Streets have two exciting projects in Greater Manchester in 2019 to close streets outside certain schools during the school run.
So we will be working with them to support that, and many other schemes as well.