CHILDREN in Ferryhill Station have completed a project to raise their awareness of transport issues.

The Sustainable Transport Education Programme (Step), which was delivered by Groundwork East Durham, was a six- week project for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils at Ferryhill Station Primary School.

The programme, funded by the Countryside Agency, was aimed at pupils in less affluent or rural areas who may now walk to school, but could have to be driven or take a bus when they step up to secondary school.

Stephen Armstrong of Groundwork East Durham said: "It was about educating the children to what might be the most sustainable versions of transport and by that I mean the best for the general environment and their health.

"The Countryside Agency found that when a lot of pupils move up to a higher school, quite often they move to a different village or town.

"In Ferryhill Station, for example, they might go to Ferryhill and would quite often need to take cars or busses to school."

Project topics included the effects of pollution on the global and local environment, road safety, various types of transport and the history of transport.

It also included a trip to the National Railway Museum in York. Many of the children had never been on a train or travelled as far south as York before.

The school's deputy headteacher Chris Armstrong said: "The project has proved to be a hugely interesting area of study for the pupils.