The School Run/Cycle/Walk

My son has just started school (more on this on another post) and I am delighted that we’re lucky enough that his school is about ten minutes away from our house.

Not only does it mean that the chances of us being late for registration are lowered (I am TERRIBLE at getting anywhere on time!), but it also means that we can walk/scoot/cycle there easily.

But even if the school had been further away, I would have pushed myself (my son is more than happy to walk/run/skip) anywhere, as it means a few more steps clocked up on the old FitBit – and we all know we should be parking the car a little more.

Sustrans, the national charity that enables more people to travel by foot, bike or public transport, is encouraging everyone to do the same.

It claims that over 600 thousand children have started primary schools this past week and national estimates suggest that 42 per cent of these pupils will be driven to school, even though the average distance from home to school is 1.8 miles.

They’ve also offered the following advice for the walk to school…

* Set an example: stop, look and listen, don’t take risks and avoid using your mobile phone when crossing the road;

* Bend down to your child’s eye level to get an idea of what they can and can’t see;

* Talk about the traffic you see on your way and the best places to cross, and ask questions about the speed and size of different vehicles;

* In quiet areas, gradually allow your children to practice making decisions about when and where to cross roads.

If the new school is easy to cycle to, Sustrans suggests that before trying the journey parents should teach their children to follow these key rules:

* Signal clearly at all times;

* Ride in a position where you can see and be seen;

* Make eye contact with other road users, especially at junctions, where you know they’ve seen you;

* Don’t jump red lights or cycle on the pavement unless it’s a designated cycle path;

* When riding at night always use a working white front light and red back light, plus a red rear reflector – it’s the law!

Stay safe, guys!