Pupils in Hillingdon are being encouraged to leave their parents cars at home and embrace sustainable transport options as part of Hillingdon Council’s first active travel movement campaign.
The initiative, organised by Hillingdon Council’s school travel and road safety education team, aims to promote safer and more sustainable modes of travel while enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of students.
The campaign kicks off with Walk to School Month this October, where schools across the borough are invited to participate in a series of activities and events dedicated to promoting sustainable travel.
The Active Travel Movement campaign seeks to reduce reliance on polluting and congestion-causing car journeys by encouraging more walking, cycling, and scooting.
Participating schools are urged to document their active travel efforts on social media, using the hashtag #ActiveTravelMovementHillingdon, in a bid to inspire others to follow suit. In addition to this, students have the opportunity to showcase their creativity through a road safety inventions competition run alongside the campaign.
For pupils in Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, there’s a drawing competition where they are invited to illustrate themselves actively traveling to school. Meanwhile, students in Key Stage 1 and 2 have been challenged to design their own road safety inventions, with the potential to create the next innovative road safety solution.
Entries for both competitions must be submitted to the respective schools by Tuesday, October 31. The winners, to be announced later this year, will receive a digital recreation of their artwork or invention and an Amazon gift card.
Cllr Jonathan Bianco, Hillingdon Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Property, Highways, and Transport, said, “We’re committed to creating a green and sustainable borough and so it’s brilliant to see the future generation doing their bit to help reduce unnecessary, short car journeys, while also keeping healthy and active.”
To learn more about the October Walk to School Month competitions, reach out via email at stars@hillingdon.gov.uk.
