Schools awarded share of £30,000 to enable walking or wheeling to school

Schools awarded share of £30,000 to enable walking or wheeling to school

Eighteen Shropshire schools are to receive a share of £30,000 to help enable children to cycle, walk or scoot to and from school.

Shropshire Council was awarded the money from Active Travel England and all schools in the council's area were invited to apply for up to £1,000 to spend on active travel initiatives.

It's the second year in a row that the council has been awarded this funding. In 2024, 24 schools received grants.

This year applications were received from schools across the county and the funding has now been awarded for the following:

• scooter and bike storage/racks.
• to purchase balance bikes and scooters.
• to purchase helmets and safety equipment.
• scooter training.
• Dr Bike sessions.
• To purchase hi-viz clothing.

Rob Wilson, Shropshire Council's Cabinet member with responsibility for active travel, said:

"I'm delighted that we been able to again award this funding to schools from across the county to help enable children to travel to school on foot, by bike or by scooter. Walking, cycling or scooting to school is a great way for children to keep fit and stay healthy. It also helps to reduce the number of vehicles on the roads near schools, so helps to keep children safe too.

"Thank you to all the schools who applied."

This week Councillor Wilson represented Shropshire Council at the Active City Conference in York, where twelve of England's regional mayors signed up to a plan to create a "national active travel network", focusing initially on helping children to walk, cycle or scoot to school safely.

Speaking about the pledge, Chris Boardman, the National Active Travel Commissioner, said: '

"People will only consider travelling actively if it is easy and safe. That's what the mayors have today pledged to do and that's why government is backing them. It's going to have a hugely positive impact on millions of people's daily lives."

Professor Sir Chris Whitty, chief medical officer for England, added:

"Increasing physical activity has health benefits across the life course. As part of this, we need to make walking and cycling more accessible, and safer, as well as access to green space easier and more equitable. This will help remove barriers to improving physical activity levels and could significantly improve the health of England's population."

Further information

The schools that have been awarded funding are as follows. (For more information please contact the appropriate school).

• Grange Primary School, Shrewsbury (Scooter training)
• St Mary's CE Primary School, Albrighton (Bike / scooter shelter)
• St Peter's CE Primary School, Wem (Bike racks and scooter pods)
• Church Preen Primary School (Balance bikes and helmets)
• Clee Hill Community Academy (Balance bikes and Dr Bike sessions)
• Radbrook Primary School, Shrewsbury (Scooters, helmets and Scooterbility training)
• Whitchurch CE Junior Academy (Bike and scooter storage)
• Oakmeadow CE Primary, Shrewsbury (Hi viz, bike rack and bike maintenance workshop)
• Wistanstow CE Primary School (Balance bikes, scooters, helmets and portable traffic signs)
• Coleham School, Shrewsbury (Balance bikes, bikes and helmets)
• Bowbrook Primary, Shrewsbury (Balance bikes and helmets)
• Greenfields Primary School, Shrewsbury (Scooter rack)
• Beckbury CofE Primary School (Scooter and bike storage)
• Prees CE Primary School (Bikes and helmets to loan)
• Mount Pleasant Primary, Shrewsbury (Scooter store and helmets)
• Market Drayton Junior School (Bike and scooter racks)
• Woodside Primary School, Oswestry (Scooters and scooter training)
• St. George's Junior School, Shrewsbury (Scooter training and Dr Bike)