Primary school children in England are being invited to become junior active travel inspectors, part of an innovative initiative designed to encourage more walking, cycling, wheeling, and scooting to and from school. The scheme, launched by the Department for Transport, empowers pupils to audit their school journeys using a specially developed child-friendly app, helping to assess and improve the safety and accessibility of local active travel routes. This initiative aims to tackle school-run congestion, reduce pollution, and promote healthier lifestyles among young people.

The launch of the programme was marked by a visit from Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to Hollybush Primary School in Hertford. Alexander highlighted the multiple benefits of walking and cycling—not just for health but also in easing congestion, supporting local economies, and reducing pressure on the NHS. “We want to make sure that more children and families can take advantage,” she said, explaining how the scheme will place young people at the heart of active travel efforts to influence smarter decisions and infrastructure improvements in their communities.

Currently, around 40% of primary school children and 25% of secondary pupils are driven to school, with school drop-offs contributing to a significant proportion of morning traffic, particularly in urban areas such as London. The junior inspectors will work alongside teachers and parents, using an adapted version of Active Travel England’s inspection checklist to identify barriers to safer walking and cycling routes. Their findings will help shape future local government plans to boost active travel uptake.

This child-led scheme complements a broader government commitment to active travel infrastructure funding. Building upon a £300 million investment announced earlier this year, the government aims to create up to 300 miles of new cycleways and pavements across England. This funding is part of a package designed to facilitate 30 million extra walking or cycling journeys annually and is expected to deliver significant economic benefits, including an estimated saving of 43,000 NHS sick days each year.

In total, the government’s active travel funding commitment comprises multiple streams, including a £200 million allocation to improve rural connections and create 120 miles of new cycling tracks; £101 million to support local walking and cycling projects, including trials of side-road zebra crossings and enhanced access in National Parks; and £60 million focused specifically on transforming the school run by expanding cycle training programmes to reach a million more children. These coordinated investments reflect the government’s Plan for Change strategy, which seeks to embed active travel as a central pillar of sustainable transport and public health improvement.

Beyond infrastructural developments, these initiatives aim to incentivise behavioural shifts, making walking, wheeling, and cycling easier, safer, and more appealing options for families. By equipping young people with the tools to identify challenges and propose solutions, the junior active travel inspectors programme not only nurtures critical thinking and civic engagement but also ensures the voices of children inform the design of school routes.

As local authorities begin to integrate the data gathered by these young inspectors, the government anticipates a ripple effect: increased active travel participation, lower congestion and emissions near schools, improved physical and mental health outcomes for children, and stimulation of local economies. If successful, this pioneering approach could serve as a model for engaging communities directly in shaping the transport choices that impact their daily lives.

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Source: Noah Wire Services