More kids cycling to school

Sunday 13 November 2016

More youngsters have been cycling to school thanks to Eco-Active's drive to get more of them out of their parents' car.

The sixth annual Green Travel Fortnight took place between Monday 3 October and Friday 14 October, encouraging them to walk, cycle, scoot, catch the bus and share a lift to school.

La Moye pedalled ahead with the highest percentage of students cycling to school with 20% of them getting on their bikes during the fortnight.

First Tower, Grands Vaux, St Luke's and St Saviour's primary schools had the most impressive green traveller results and have all won a scooter pod to park all their scooters during their lessons.

All the other schools who sent in travel surveys will be getting branded bicycle LED lights for all the youngsters who cycle and to encourage road safety in the darker winter months. 

The Island's secondary schools participated in the ‘Minutes in Motion’ challenge to record their green travel and two students from both Grainville and Le Rocquier School have won unlimited bus travel passes for one school week thanks to sponsorship from Liberty Bus.

Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel said: “Green Travel Fortnight 2016 was another successful transport campaign that raised awareness about the benefits of more sustainable forms of travel in Jersey. We hope the schools specific initiative will encourage a long-term behaviour shift away from the car and to other forms of active travel like cycling.”  

Eco Active Programme Manager, Jane Burns, said: “All of the schools who got involved this year were very creative and incorporated environmental themes such as a Christmas tree growing competition organised by one school rewarding cyclists with nourished water for their tree!

"We’ve opted to give extra prizes for cyclists this year as we were very impressed with the increased number of pupils getting on their bikes. The LED lights are great for cycle safety and we hope that they will help keep these cyclists on their bikes during these greyer months.”