Harpenden children join the world of walking

October is international Walk to School Month and across Harpenden parents with primary aged children are being asked to ditch their cars and take to their feet.

The theme for Walk to School Month 2010 is 'Join the World of Walking' and sees Manland Primary, St Nicholas CE JMI, High Beeches JMI, Sauncey Wood Primary, Roundwood Primary, The Grove, Wood End JMI, St Dominic RC Primary and Crabtree Infant all participating in the initiative, which is being backed by Herts County Council.

The Harpenden primary pupils join with children from over 200 other schools around Hertfordshire as they work together to cut carbon and take the healthy route to school.

Stuart Pile, Executive Member for Highways and Transport said: "In order to help reduce congestion and pollution, we want to encourage parents to leave their cars at home as often as they can - perhaps driving some of the way and walking the rest if they live too far away to walk the whole journey to school."

"Walking to school regularly is a fantastic way to keep fit. And not only is walking free exercise, it's also a free way to get to school. Walking to school regularly can save an average family £400 a year."

According to the national charity, Living Streets, school run traffic accounts for up to a fifth of rush hour traffic and the proportion of primary school children walking to school is now at an all time low. At the same time, awareness is growing over the negative effects of car travel on climate change, whilst childhood obesity is at record levels.

So shouldn’t walking to school be a no brainer? Would you like to see no car zones imposed around Harpenden’s Primary Schools? How can we make our streets better for walking to school? Let us know what you think, here on Harpenden People.

And if you represent one of the Primary Schools mentioned above, please let us know how your school is encouraging your pupil’s involvement in Walk to School Month? Thanks!