DEPARTMENT FOR
TRANSPORT News Release (082) issued by The Government News Network
on 17 July 2007
A £7.5million
annual package of Government funding to help boost sustainable
travel to school is to continue for another two years, it was
announced today.
Transport Minister Rosie Winterton and Schools Minister Andrew
Adonis confirmed that funding would continue for the Travelling to
School project, a joint initiative between the Department for
Transport and the Department for Children, Schools and Families
that encourages children to walk, cycle, or take public transport
to school.
The project is based around the development of school travel
plans, which set out how an individual school will encourage more
sustainable travel and reduce car use. The funding will provide
continued support for the network of local authority based school
travel advisers, who work with schools to help them draw up and
implement their plans.
Rosie Winterton said:
"Walking, cycling and taking public transport to school is a
great way to beat congestion, help tackle climate change and
improve children's health and fitness.
"Travel plans are important in encouraging sustainable
travel to school and over 14,000 schools in England now have one
in place. By continuing this funding for another two years, we
will continue the drive to help as many schools as possible beat
the traffic in their areas. Andrew Adonis said:
"All schools should work with local authorities to develop
safe and sustainable travel plans. We want them to cut car use and
get young people travelling to school in healthier and more
environmentally friendly ways.
"This new funding will help local authorities continue to
co-ordinate individual school initiatives so that all areas have
an effective and green transport strategy in place."
Notes to Editors
1. The Travelling to School project was launched in 2003. Current
funding was due to end in March 2008, and will now continue until 2010.
2. The Department for Transport and the former Department for
Education and Skills have been investing £3.75million a year each
(£7.5million total) in the project since it started.
3. The Department for Children, Schools and Families (formerly
Education and Skills) also provides £20million a year to provide
small grants to schools with an approved travel plan to help them
implement their plan.
4. There is currently a network of around 250 school travel
advisers who help schools develop and implement school travel plans.
5. A school travel plan is a package of measures tailored to the
needs of an individual school and designed to reduce car
dependency and improve safety for journeys to school. Measures
might include cycle training, walking buses, provision of lockers
and car sharing schemes.
Public Enquiries: 020 7944 8300
Department for Transport
Website: http://www.dft.gov.uk