Travel plan for schools

Two hundred schools in North Yorkshire will get a share of the cash, each receiving between £4,000 and £12,000.

The money has come from a fund set up jointly by the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Transport.

The initiative aims to reduce the number of cars around the school entrance and increase the proportion of children walking, cycling and using the bus to get to school.

Money is available to spend on items within the school grounds such as a pedestrian shelter, cycle storage or a bus turning circle.

In order to receive a grant, schools have to produce a travel plan detailing how they intend to reduce car dependency and improve safety.

They also have to consult with teachers, parents, pupils and governors on the plan.

The first school to spend their money is East Ayton Community Primary School in Scarborough. It has used the grant to build a parent waiting shelter at the school.

Parents picking up their children can now stand in the dry during bad weather, instead of having to huddle in doorways, or bring their car instead.

Other schools in the county are also in the process of building waiting shelters for those who walk to school.

County councillor Clare Wood, executive member for environmental services, said the authority wants to encourage as many children as possible to walk to school so that they are getting extra exercise.

She added: "This is new money from central government for schools with a travel plan describing alternatives to using the car for the entire journey. The cash will help bring back state-of-the-art cycle parking facilities, bus shelters and new footpath entrances.

"The county council's school travel awareness team and the schools themselves have done a fantastic job and I am so pleased to see their efforts rewarded."

More information on how to submit a travel plan and apply for a grant is available at www.n-yorks.net. Applications have to be made before next year's February half term.