Active Travel is all about getting your body moving during your journey! Whether it's cycling, walking, or scooting, make your journeys more active. These trips are often short - like a quick run to the supermarket or your daily commute to work or school. You can even spice up longer journeys by parking farther away or taking part of the journey by train or bus.
Benefits of Active Travel
- Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine - reduces the need to find extra time in the day to be active
- Improves mood and concentration - improving productivity at work or school
- Improves air quality and reduces pollution/noise
- Reduces congestion - in built up cities and towns it can be quicker to use active modes of transport (e.g., walking or cycling) than to travel by car
- Resolves parking issues at workplaces and outside schools
- More cost effective (for you and the economy)
Active Travel to School
Active Travel means happier, healthier children, helping them to achieve their recommend activity levels every day.
It's been proven that children who do some form of exercise, especially a walk before school, do better in class because they arrive refreshed and ready to learn.
During morning peak traffic times, 1 in 5 cards on the road are taking children to school, contributing to congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions.
The school run alone is responsible for generating two million tonnes of CO2 per year. Imagine what we could achieve if we began converting some of these rides to strides?
Top Tips for Walking to School / Work
- Plan your route - it might be a different journey to the one you would do in the car.
- Predict how long it will take you to walk to make sure you have enough time.
- Wear comfortable shoes and socks - bring your work or school shoes in a bag and change footwear when you arrive at your destination.
- If you typically use a briefcase for work, try switching to a rucksack for added comfort.
- Be prepared for the elements and don't forget your coat, umbrella, and extra clothes/footwear.
- Turn your daily commute into a lesson in road safety for your kids.
Top Tips for Cycling to Work / School
- Safety first - always remember a helmet, lights and reflective clothing.
- Start with a realistic frequency and distance - why not get a lift to work, then pedal home to start with?
- Plan your journey with a route planner to find the perfect roads that match your skills.
- Start your weekend with a practice ride - take a trial run to familiarise yourself with the route, ensuring you know how much time you'll need to arrive on time for work or school.
- Master the art of changing a tyre and performing basic bike maintenance checks - don't let mechanical failures delay your journey.
- Prepare your bag the night before - don't forget to pack a fresh change of clothes or comfy footwear if you're wearing activewear for your commute.
- Give yourself time to shower and change when you get to work if needed.
Handy Resources
A partnership project to encourage more people in Leicester & Leicestershire to choose more active and sustainable methods of travel.
The Junior Road Safety Officer (JRSO) Scheme
JRSO scheme is a scheme available to primary schools in the districts of Leicestershire. Schools who sign up will receive equipment and badges for pupils as well as resources appropriate for younger pupils.
-
Modeshift STARS is a scheme that recognises schools, businesses and other organisations that have shown excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable and active travel.
-
Cyclescheme is an employee benefit that saves you 25-39% on a bike and accessories. You pay nothing upfront and the payments are taken tax efficiently from your salary by your employer.
-
Living Streets want a nation where walking is the natural choice for everyday local journeys. Their mission is to achieve a better walking environment and inspire people to walk more.
Cycle to Work Scheme allows you to choose a bike, hire it for an agreed length of time, then snap it up for a fraction of its original value.
