A Suffolk secondary school has been praised nationally for leading the way in sustainable travel with nearly 90 per cent of students getting to school by foot or by bike.
Kesgrave High School sees 86 per cent of its 1,800 students travelling this way, which equates to 18,000 low cost trips a week.
This is more than double the national average of 37% of secondary school students who walk to school. For cycling, the national average is just 4%.
Active Travel England (ATE) is a government agency which aims to make walking, wheeling and cycling the preferred choice of transport for getting around in England.
This is @KesgraveHigh School, Ipswich, where 9 in 10 kids #walk, #wheel or #cycle to school. This is transport independence and we want this to be a travel choice for kids across the whole country #activetravel @Chris_Boardman pic.twitter.com/GCRRndEDSR
— Active Travel England (@activetraveleng) December 1, 2022
The school was visited by former racing cyclist Chris Boardman, MBE.
Mr Boardman interviewed staff and students to learn how the school had bucked the trend.
One student said: “It’s just so standard. You come to Kesgrave High School, everybody bikes.”
Mr Boardman praised the "network of cycle lanes” around the school, which he said gave parents the peace of mind to allow their children to make their own way to school.
Andrew Stringer is leader of the Suffolk Green, Liberal Democrat and Independents Group (GLI). He said: “Kesgrave has always had high levels of walking and cycling, because the right infrastructure was built into the original development. Proper cycle routes and paths making walking and cycling the easiest option is key.
“Well done, Kesgrave – now let's get to work getting all schools better connected.”
Keith Welham is the Green councillor for Stowmarket North and Stowupland. He is also the Highways, Public Transport and Rural Services Spokesperson for the GLI.
He said: “This is the sort of travel we need throughout the whole of Ipswich, not just Kesgrave.
“If we could provide throughout the Ipswich area proper cycle tracks, and get some of the cars off the road, that would be ideal.”
Cllr Welham said a change of mindset is often needed for parents and students to choose sustainable travel methods.
He said: “All of our schools need the infrastructure, but also the ethos of active travel.
“In Stowupland, there are a lot of students who walk or cycle to school, but there are also a lot of parents who drive to drop their children off, some of them quite short distances.
“I’m quite certain that a lot of students would love to cycle or walk to school, but you need to have the encouragement from schools and the willingness of parents.”
ATE’s Head of Strategy, Martin Key, said: “Kesgrave shows that it is possible for children to travel independently to school, freeing up time for parents and carers to get to work.
“Active Travel England is working to make it easier to walk, wheel and cycle, helping to decarbonise transport and grow the economy.”
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