Doncaster pupils enjoy greener way to travel

Instead of being dropped off by car, children from St Peter’s Catholic Primary School and Lakeside Primary School on Sandy Lane arrived at school by foot, bikes or scooters with the road being closed to non-residents from 8am to 4pm.

The Doncaster School Street Closures is a new project organised by Public Health which involves certain roads around local schools that have been highlighted as having high air pollution. Several schools have signed up for the project and all parents and guardians are being encouraged to park further away instead of coming by car.

Last week a meeting point was set up for those who came from further afield and children and parents enjoyed a walking play from Histrionics on their way to school, with facts about air pollution. Other activities for children to enjoy as part of their year groups/Covid bubbles included smoothie bikes, circus skills, pedal ready and bicycle buddy.

Ros Jones, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “Swapping the car for walking has so many benefits from boosting physical and mental wellbeing to creating safer, less polluted and more welcoming streets.

“It has been great to see the young people – and adults – enjoy a school run with a difference today and we hope it will encourage people to ditch the car for a few days in the future and try a much healthier, physically active and greener alternative to getting to school.”

Pete Zanzottera, Active Travel Programme Director, Sheffield City Region said: “Research suggests that as much as a quarter of traffic in the morning peak is associated with school drop-off, and the roads immediately outside our schools are often very congested with parked vehicles, and feel dangerous for those walking, scooting or cycling to school. Nearly everyone is a pedestrian for the last part of the journey to school and we support School Streets measures to make the environment immediately outside the school a nicer place for parents and children. Many of our schools also have park and walk sites where it is possible to park safely and have a short healthy walk.”

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