Three Saffron Walden schools take active travel pledge

Pupils from St Mary's Primary, St Thomas More Primary and RA Butler Academy have taken the Active Travel pledge to make change in their communities, and have been presented with their Active Travel pledge certificates.

The pledge encourages children and staff to travel to and from school by either walking, cycling or scootering.

This follows work in schools to promote awareness of air quality issues in Saffron Walden. Children have taken part in air pollution investigations and anti-idling activities, where they learned the importance of switching off the engine when a vehicle is at a standstill.

St Thomas More Primary School assistant headteacher Noreen Hall and members of the school council (Image: Uttlesford District Council)

Cllr Neil Reeve, Uttlesford District Council’s portfolio holder for the environment and climate change, said: "It is great that so many young residents have been involved and engaged in the clean air project – we hope this means they have been passing on their knowledge to their families and that this will benefit many generations to come.  

"We’re looking forward to continuing this work in the new school year and beyond."

The Saffron Walden Clean Air Project aims to raise awareness of air pollution and enable more sustainable ways to travel.

The DEFRA-funded campaign is divided into four key areas: school engagement and education, building public awareness, business travel planning and wood burning education.

RA Butler assistant headteacher Katie Brown with some of the pupils (Image: Uttlesford District Council)

A statement on the Uttlesford District Council website explains: "This project is being undertaken to improve air quality in Saffron Walden.

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"Despite recent improvements in air quality we recognise that there is a need to do more to reduce emissions of nitrous dioxide and particulate matter and make the town a healthier place to live."

The message is being delivered in schools through assemblies, pop-up events with parents at the start and end of the school day, creating sustainable travel plans for each school and school travel surveys.

Pupils and parents can also take part in the Air Aware monitoring initiative. Children can receive an Air Aware quality monitor from school for a week, take it home and complete diary entries on the findings.