50,000 School Children Swap School Run for School Walk

Transport Minister Conor Murphy has launched Travelwise Walk to School Week (18-22 May) which will see almost 50,000 school children swap the school run for the school walk.

Pupils from over 212 participating primary and post primary schools will be learning about the health, environmental and financial benefits from walking.

Launching the week long series of activities at Belfast’s Holy Rosary Primary School, Regional Development Minister, Conor Murphy said: “With fuel costs rising, heavy traffic at the start and end of the school day and childhood obesity levels increasing, there has never been a better time to put your best foot forward and leave the car at home. Many families continue to take the car each morning when this could easily be exchanged for walking where the school is only a short distance away.

"It is estimated that during the morning rush hour, 20% of the cars on our roads are taking children to school, we only need to look at how much clearer our roads are during the school holidays to appreciate how much of an impact the school run has. Congestion at the gates is a major problem for many schools as large volumes of traffic can pose a very real danger to children being dropped off.

"I know that walking to school every day is not possible for everyone but even walking once a week can make a big difference. I know that for some that walking to school is not a realistic option due to where they live and where the school is situated. However, for many it is a realistic option. Many of the schools we work with have said many parents who live five minutes walk away still chose to drive their children to school. This creates bad habits for later in life and does not help their health or the environment. I would therefore encourage families to seek alternatives to the car if at all possible and to get out and about and enjoy their walk to school,” said Mr Murphy.

Holy Rosary Primary School Principal Sean Merrick said: “Like many primary schools here, we are situated in a highly residential area which makes it difficult to deal with large volumes of traffic coming to and from the school. Many of our pupils live just a short distance away and we are pleased to see a large number now walking to school.

“The benefits of walking to school regularly are clear. Children are more alert in the classroom and a reduction in traffic congestion makes the school much safer. Walking to school is an enjoyable and sociable way for children and parents to improve their health and fitness and have a positive impact on the environment. It is also a good opportunity to educate pupils about road safety. I would encourage other schools to take part in the initiative and introduce the benefits of walking to their pupils.”

Commenting on the level of participation, Aileen Gault, Head of Travelwise NI, said: ”We are delighted that so many schools have registered for Walk to School Week this year. When we launched this initiative in 2004, a few hundred pupils took part so it is amazing to say that in the last five years we have been able to raise this figure to over 50,000 and it has become an annual fixture in the schools’ calendar. Throughout the week we are promoting the ‘Walk Our World’ theme, which we hope will encourage children and parents to enjoy the outdoors and get to know their surroundings, while safely walking to school.”

For more information on Travelwise NI Walk to School Week or to register participation please visit www.travelwiseni.com or call 0845 387 0908.

Notes to Editors:

Travelwise Northern Ireland is an initiative of the Department for Regional Development Roads Service.

Schools across the UK will also be participating in National Walk to School Week 2009, 18-22 May 2009.

Schools that participate in Walk to School Week in the north will be eligible to win the ‘Travelwise NI Schools Time-Capsule’ to be presented during Travelwise NI Week in September and buried within school grounds.

Walk to School 2009 participant figures are based on school registrations and requests for Travelwise NI school resources for pupils.

20% of traffic on the road at 8.50am is on the “School Run” (Source: House of Commons, Education & Skills Committee).

Road Transport is responsible for 25% of CO2 in the atmosphere in the UK (Source: Transport Statistics for Great Britain 2007).

Media queries to: Ross Williamson and Jenny Johnston, Inform Communications, Tel: 028 9023 3550, Mob 07734 821070 (Ross) or 07730 527857 (Jenny) or to Emma Flynn Davies, Department for Regional Development, Press Office, Tel 028 9054 0372