First Surrey schools awarded for excellence in sustainable travel

Hurst Park Main College and Horley Toddler College have grow to be the primary two Surrey faculties to obtain a platinum Modeshift STARS accreditation, the scheme’s highest honour, for offering secure and sustainable journey environments.

Modeshift STARS is a nationally recognised accreditation for faculties who efficiently work with companies and native communities to undertake journey plans which promote sustainable and secure journeys.

Hurst Park Main College elevated energetic journey amongst pupils and households by over 30%. Initiatives embody securing funding for pool bikes enabling these with out bikes to nonetheless have Bikeability classes to show them secure and impartial journey, and ran two car-free days, which noticed 95% and 98% of pupils arriving actively.

Horley Toddler College labored with companies, native residents and Reigate and Banstead Borough Council to implement initiatives which led to a 20% improve within the variety of kids strolling, biking or scooting to high school. The varsity:

• obtained 300 free hi-viz jackets from native companies for youngsters to put on in the course of the darker months
• held a neighborhood residents’ discussion board to assist with the continuing visitors issues and automotive parking outdoors the varsity and homes
• ran an anti-idling marketing campaign outdoors the varsity with free parking negotiated with the borough council on the backside of the street throughout drop off and collections instances.

Cllr Matt Furniss, Cupboard Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Economic system stated: “Congratulations to Hurst Park Main and Horley Toddler College for his or her dedication, exhausting work and dedication to encourage secure and sustainable journey choices to households. A lot of our faculties are doing heaps to scale back our carbon footprint and educate kids round secure and sustainable journey and I’m thrilled that they’re getting the popularity”.

Lee Beresford, Journey Plan Coordinator at Hurst Park Main College stated: “Sustainable journey is a excessive precedence for us at Hurst Park. We’re thrilled to have obtained a platinum accreditation for our journey plan”.

Jason Walters, Headteacher at Horley Toddler College stated: “1 in 4 automobiles on the street every morning are on the varsity run and are answerable for half one million tonnes of CO2 emissions yearly within the UK. We wanted initiatives to assist scale back these statistics and enhance the air high quality round college. We inspired pupils to journey by foot or bike, or no less than stroll the final 10 minutes to high school, as this is able to imply fewer automobiles outdoors the varsity gates”.

For particulars in regards to the Modeshift STARS programme in Surrey and different street security and sustainable journey info, go to the Surrey County Council website or contact the Safer Journey Crew at schooltravelplans@surreycc.gov.uk.