Commitment to active and sustainable travel
We strongly encourage students to travel to school by walking, cycling or using the bus, where possible. This is much better for the environment, reduces pollution for students who are walking and helps to reduce traffic congestion around the entrances to school.
An awareness of travelling actively is integral to Christ Church Pellon Primary School’s overriding sustainability concept.
· Our school promotes walking, wheeling and cycling because…
o It helps keep our students fitter and healthy plus research shows being active can help students concentrate better and increase their levels of achievement.
o By walking or cycling our school community can help reduce the number of vehicles on the road making it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and easier for local residents. It also creates cleaner air by reducing the pollution caused from exhaust fumes and helps combat climate change.
· Five Reasons to walk, wheel or cycle your journey to school:
1. Catch up with friends
2. It’s good for the planet
3. Boosts brain power
4. Maintains a healthy lifestyle
5. To be street savvy and safe
Walking to School
We encourage all children and families to walk to school where possible to try to increase our active travel and ease congestion and pollution outside school. We are currently in the process of putting together some ideas around a Park and Stride and Walking Bus, more details to follow.
· What is Park and Stride?
o Park and Stride is a simple idea for those who live further away from school and usually drive, but want to enjoy the benefits of walking.
· What are the benefits of Park and Stride?
o Research shows that children who walk to school arrive more alert and have higher concentration levels than those who are driven. It also provides gentle exercisfe, and opportunity to catch up with friends and is better for the planet!
Cycling to school
We have a secure parking and storage facility at the front of school and this can be accessed via the school car park. Route planners are available to support you on your journeys -
The Best Route Planner for Cycling, Walking, Hiking and Running | Komoot
Please remember to wear a helmet, follow cycle training of being bright and seen especially in the dark.
Public transport
We have bus stops outside our school on both sides of the road. These buses go into Halifax centre and bus station and also up onto the Rye Lane estate.
To support in planning your bus journey please follow this link https://www.wymetro.com/plan-a-journey/
We also have journey planning information on our school notice board outside the main entrance.
Travelling by car
We ask that drivers are considerate when coming to school in a car. We have signs outside school on the yellow zig zag lines, please adhere to these signs to ensure that we are keeping all children and families safe. The small access road will be coned off each day, only cars who have a blue badge will be allowed to access this area unless prior agreements and arrangments have been made with a member of the leadership team. Again this for the safety of all our children and families.
Please ensure that you are parking responsibily and adhering to the rules of the road in regard to speed and behaviour. Please also consider car sharing with other families to try and reduce the congestion outside our school.
Drivers are advised not to idle while waiting outside our school in order to improve air quality.
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· What is idling?
o Idling means leaving a vehicle's engine running while it is stationary.
· Why is idling bad?
o It increases the amount of exhaust emissions in the air which can be harmful to both the environment and health, causing asthma and other lung diseases – especially dangerous for school children whose lungs are still developing.
· What does the law say about idling?
o Rule 123 of The Highway Code is ‘The Driver and the Environment’. It states that drivers must not leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while the vehicle is stationary on a public road. Doing so may lead to a £20 fine which Local Authorities have the power to give.
· How can we avoid idling?
o When stuck in traffic, most modern vehicles have ‘stop-start’ systems which automatically switch the engine off when the vehicle is stationary and restart it when the accelerator is pressed. For vehicles without it, it’s fine to turn of the engine but try to avoid doing it repeatedly.
o Outside school gates and when stationary, turning off your engine is a no-brainer to protect the health of school children.
We are currently working with Modeshift STARS to gain a Travel Plan accreditation for our work around active and sustainable travel to and from school. More details are to follow regarding this.