Award transforms travel

A YATE school's twoyear project to make travel more sustainable has brought it an award.

Staff and pupils at the Ridge Junior School in Melrose Avenue have worked hard to achieve the Modeshift Stars Gold award, for encouraging more families to ditch the car for the school run and walk, cycle or scoot instead.

Funding available as part of the award has allowed the school to alter the fencing at the front entrance, to allow cyclists to wait in an area off the pavement for the gate to open, reducing congestion on the pavement and allowing pedestrians to pass safely.

The school has also installed a large new covered bike stand at a second entrance to school, along with new scooter racks, cutting queues of children with bikes and scooters at one gate.

Travel plan coordinator Bev Furber said: "This has been transformational in easing one of our main travel issues, and has acted as further encouragement, for children and families to choose an active sustainable way to travel to school, thus improving physical and mental health, and reducing congestion and pollution for the whole community."