Cllr Liz Gifford met with pupils from Portfields Combined School in Newport Pagnell to officially launch their Active Travel Maps scheme on Wednesday.
The scheme aims to encourage more walking, cycling and scooting to school.
The free active maps are a guide on how to travel to school safely along the footpaths and Redways. It also includes a 10-minute walking zone in all directions from the school.
The Junior Road Safety Officers (JRSOs) at the school helped to create the Active Travel Maps – just one of the many road safety initiatives they have been involved with and part of the Council’s Get Smarter Travel programme.
Portfields School has earned the title of ‘Silver School’ in the STARS scheme - a national award which recognises their excellence in commitment to active and sustainable travel.
The school’s JRSOs have been involved with a number of initiatives at the school including issuing parking tickets and installing an award-winning large life-size sign which tells parents “do not park here’ which has reduced parking on yellow lines outside the school.
The combined efforts and hard works of teacher Joanna Abraham and the JRSOs have reduced the number of pupils being taken to school by car from 42% down to 31%.
There’s also been an increase from 1.6% of pupils cycling to school in 2015/2016 to 7.6% of pupils in 2016/2017.
Cllr Liz Gifford said “It’s great to see such enthusiasm and commitment from pupils for sustainable transport.”
“Teaching children now about the benefits of greener transport will stay with them throughout their lives.”
“Parking around schools is a problem in MK and we want to see more children walking or cycling to school rather than being driven there.”
