A recent survey carried out by Sustrans has revealed that 90% of parents and residents would support closing streets to cars more regularly outside schools.
Out of 954 respondents, three quarters were worried about the health impacts of exhaust fumes on pupils during school drop off and pick up times. 72% of the respondents agreed that the street felt safer to use where road closures had taken place.
Aside from parents and residents, 3,434 pupils were asked to give their thoughts on air quality. Nearly half (45%) of the pupils surveyed said they were worried about levels of air pollution at their school.
The survey results have been issued as schools across the UK celebrate Bike to School Week this week. Sustrans, the charity that organises the awareness week, has said that every child in the UK has the “right to a safe journey to school” on foot or by bike and has urged Governments at all levels to prioritise high quality walking and cycling infrastructure to make the environment around schools safer, cleaner and healthier for pupils.
Road transport accounts for 26% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the main sources being petrol and diesel cars.
Xavier Brice, CEO at Sustrans, said: “We all know that we are living with dangerous levels of air pollution in our towns and cities. Despite this, the latest figures from the National Travel Survey show that 45% of primary school children in England travel to school by car – a 1% increase from last year’s figures.
Majority of parents “want traffic-free roads outside schools” – BikeBiz
Rebecca Morley A recent survey carried out by Sustrans has revealed that 90% of parents and residents would support closing streets to cars more regularly outside schools. Out of 954 respondents, three quarters were worried about the health impacts of exhaust fumes on pupils during school drop off and pick up times. 72% of the… [Read More]
