News
All the latest on health, transport and environment issues affecting school travel
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School Travel writing competition
We want to hear what Key Stage 2 and 3 pupils would tell the government to do to make it easier to walk and cycle to school. Get your pupils to either write a letter or newspaper editorial aimed at their government.
Winning pupils will also win a bike and there are six runner-up walking and cycling packs up for grabs.
We'll be looking for entries in both key stages that demonstrate an awareness of sustainability, health and safety issues... and which contain creative, imaginative and innovative ideas!
Download the Submission form, a Pupil Entry template and a Competition Resources document (for both key stages) from our Toolkit page.
Post all the pupil entries together with a covering submission form to School Travel Competition, Sustrans, 2 Cathedral Square, College Green, Bristol, BS1 5DD by 5pm Thursday 1st April 2010. Winners will be announced during Bike to School Week (26-30 April 2010).
Make a film, win a camcorder!
For pupils in Scotland, we are running our "Reel Journeys" competition - make a 3-minute film about how you get to school now and how you would LIKE to get to school. Six camcorders are up for grabs.
For details visit www.movingimageeducation.org or download a flyer(pdf)
March-April 2010 news
Observer Ethical Awards
QUICK! They close 12th March. They are looking for young people who have been taking action against climate change. £2000 bursaries up for grabs. Visit the Observer website.
Bike It Virtual Bike Race
100,000 pupils from Sustrans' Bike It schools are racing to complete an 8,500km race around all the Bike It schools in the UK. Over 60,000 journeys have been made in the first week of March with three more weeks to go - and you can check out everyone's progress live! Visit our Bike It pages.
Curriculum resources
Travelwise on Merseyside have got some new free curriculum resources - these are only for the local council areas, but they do have a useful website with a myriad free curriculum plans anyone can use, visit www.gotravelwise.com and click on the Staff Room.
Health News
Leeds University have found that promoting emotional benefits of exercise to teenagers may be more effective than highlighting health and physical benefits.
January-February 2010 news
Walk Once a Week expands to 900 new schools
Living Streets walking campaign for school shas received a £800,000 contribution to run in more areas of low activity and higher obesity rates, such as the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Tyne and Wear.
Read more on the Department of Health website.
What's silent, costs up to £20bn and could prematurely kill up to 51,000 people per year in the UK?
Air pollution from transport. Every year Britain breaches EU limits on toxic airborne particulates and we now risk hundreds of millions of pounds in fines. Read more online in the Telegraph.
Our latest newsletters are out
Both Routes 2 Action and Tracks, our young people's newsletter, are both out - just visit our Newsletter section under Resources.
£60,000 Big Challenge Project fund
This is available for 16-25 year-olds. Does a school travel project you do help the community? If so, check their website - they are also looking for young people to sit on their Youth Leadership Team (deadline 12th February 2010).
Health Headlines
UK children's fitness is falling twice as fast as other countries and Manchester hopes to tackle child obesity via residents-only parking permits around schools. Also, polices to tackle climate change make us healthier and only 30% of teenagers get the bare minimum recommended physical activity after they leave school.
New government road safety website
Replacing the old "hedgehog" and "arrive alive" resources - and much improve - visit talesoftheroad.direct.gov.uk. Includes games and ongoing competitions.
New National Travel Survey out
Find out who travels, why they travel and what they travel for - including to and from school. www.dft.gov.uk
November-December 2009 news
20mph zones save lives
Yet more research on the dramatic effectiveness of lower speed limits - a recent report found that the introduction of 20 mph zones in London was associated with a 41.9% reduction in road casualties. Read more at www.brake.org.uk, including Brake's response.
Interestingly, there are studies that show lower urban speed limits make little difference to journey times (and can improve them) due to better traffic flow and lower congestion.
What's going on in Scotland?
Sustrans' I Bike project to get more girls cycling and young people's Action Days for starters - more details on our Scottish School Travel page.
SEEd/WWF online sustainability course for educators
Starting January 2010 and using the DCSF's National Framework for Sustainable Schools as a starting point, this professional development programme offers an opportunity to explore how taking a sustainable schools approach can benefit pupils, teachers, the wider community and of course the health and wellbeing of the planet on which we all depend.
Full details at www.se-ed.org.uk/onlinecourse2010
Free & discounted reflective gear
The Co-op has FREE hi-vis walking bus packs to give away if your school is near one of their businesses, visit www.co-operative.coop for more info. BrightKidz also have a new clearance section on their site, www.brightkidz.co.uk.
Seen & Heard Awards 2009 - closes 20 November
BT and the UK Youth Parliament are looking to recognise the achievements of inspiring young people. In their own words:
"Young people who've made a real difference to their own lives and the lives of others. Young people who make their voices heard about the issues that matter. Whether it was contributing to a magazine, defending the rights of young carers, or giving a voice to children on the streets - if you or someone you know has used their speaking and listening skills to achieve something positive, we want to hear about it!"
The closing date is 20 November 2009, so get nominating, either yourself or someone else - all the info you need is on the Better World website.
September-October 2009 news
The Health effects of Climate Change
Eighteen of the world's professional medical organisations have warned that if December's Copenhagen climate talks do not produce a strong UN climate deal, it will be "the biggest global health threat of the 21st century". Read more on the BBC website, or on the BMJ and Lancet sites for more detail.
Funding
If cycling promotion at your school has a sports element and helps the community, you may be eligible for funding from utltd.org's Sports Relief Awards. Find a host of other funding grants in our Resources section, within the Toolkit.
Routes to Play
The school journey isn't the only one young people take! Our Active Travel and Play team have produce Routes to Play, a new guide for local authorities and other organisations managing outdoor play space, on ensuring children and young people can get to play areas actively and independently.
Sustrans' Motion for Women - petition
Our research shows that most women (79%) don't cycle because they don't feel safe. We want the government to change that by creating environments that encourage and support cycling - specifically this must include cycle paths separated from traffic. Lend your support at www.bikebelles.org.uk, it only takes a minute. Closes 29th November.
Youth Parliament debates transport
For the first time in 300 years, non-MPs will be sitting on the famous green seats. On 30th October, Youth MPs from ages 11 to 18 will debate the issues that affect them - including transport. www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk
Interactive cycle training resource
Developed for schools in Argyll and Bute, now nominated for a national transport award, iCycle was developed as the Council sought how best to boost children's theoretical knowledge of road safety issues. It's gone down a storm with pupils apparently, read more at www.argyll-bute.gov.uk. Want the resources? See the news story below!
Free interactive whiteboard resources
Available at www.prometheanplanet.com - they designed the iCycle tools used to great success in Argyll (see news story above). Check the Resource Pack section for various cycling lessons and packs.
Can you reduce your carbon output by 10%?
Can't be that hard, right? Thousands of businesses, organisations and individuals are showing the government - and world - what can be done by pledging to reduce their carbon use by 10% by the end of 2010. www.1010uk.org
2nd Scottish school travel Hands-up Survey
Taking place between 7-11 September - get on board!
Right to Ride - children's rights to cycle to school
The CTC continue their campaign to ensure every child has a right to cycle to school - for parents whose children have been prohibited, a free information kit will be available from the end of the first week in September. Visit www.ctc.org.uk/righttoridetoschool
July-August 2009 news
- Sustain your efforts with The Pod
A website devoted to helping your school be more sustainable. Transport is covered alongside energy, water and waste, with some good features, appealing layout and a fairly comprehensive list of funding sources - visit www.jointhepod.org
- Transition from Primary to Secondary School
Various councils in London have produced an excellent website to deal with this crucial period. This is when children are most keen to cycle and walk, but good work and habits learnt at primary are often lost as adapting to a new school seems to reduce opportunities.
With sections for parents, pupils andteachers, it features positive, practical advice but in a fun format with great graphics and features... prizes, games, lesson plans, discounts, mapping, videos and competitions are all on there.
If you aren't in one of the boroughs listed, just select one at random and see what they offer, it isn't just borough-specific. We had a snoop round a few and most of the info is relevant to all.
Visit http://upgrade7.org.uk and you can also have a look at Sustrans' own transition work in our Resources section - read the Executive Summary in our Toolkit.
- Why do some schools ban cycling?
The CTC wants to find out! Following the high profile case of 11-year old Sam O'Shea whose family moved mountains to over-turn the school cycling "ban", the CTC are asking people to let them know if their school bans cycling - so that they can find out why and help schools change their perceptions.
If you know of a school that bans cycling, please email debra.rolfe@ctc.org.uk with "school cycle ban" in the subject line.
- £230,000 to get Scottish Schoolgirls cycling
Schoolgirls in Scotland will be encouraged to start cycling to tackle their decreasing levels of activity as part of a two-year pilot project by Sustrans - read more on our News Release. Boys will benefit as well though!
- Health headlines
More active children stay thinner as they get older, a University of Iowa study has found. For every extra 10mins of exercise they took at 5 years old, they had a third of a pound less at 8 and 11 years old - visit www.telegraph.co.uk