Celebrate the benefits of walking to school

CHILDREN across Warrington are being encouraged to celebrate the benefits of walking the school next week.
It’s Walk to School Week, and the borough council is encouraging youngsters to join in with thousands of others across the country by walking to school.
Experts say walking to school makes children feel healthier and happier, while reducing congestion, parking and pollution outside the school gates. Yet fewer than half of primary school children currently walk to school.
Parents are being asked: “If you have to drive your children to school – do you have to drive them all the way? You could ‘park and stride’ by parking a few streets away and walking to help your health and your child’s.”
David Boyer, the council’s assistant director for transport and environment, said: “Congestion and parking outside the school gates causes an unsafe environment for everyone and the concentration of harmful emissions especially affects children.
“If everyone who needs to drive parked a few streets away all children would benefit and walking is great way for families to keep active, stay healthy and have quality time together.”
The council wants parents to let their children walk the last 10 minutes, parking in a pub or supermarket car park with the owner’s permission, or safely in a quiet side street.