Kids plan safe routes to school

Children have been involved in making plans to walk, scooter or bike safely to the newly opened Redcliffs School.

Christchurch City Council staff have worked with Redcliffs students on their ideas for a new travel map that pin-points travel times, meeting places for a walking bus, and crossing points. The map helps students and the wider community move safely around their neighbourhood.

This work is part of the School Travel Planning Programme offered by the Council.

Redcliffs School Principal Rose McInerney says students have been heavily involved in building active travel plans for their school.

“We have an Active Transport Student Group who brainstormed how they could encourage their friends to get together and get to school actively.”

“We had a map team and some kids made a claymation video about the benefits of walking or biking to school and presented it at assembly. They’ve really owned it rather than just being told to keep safe, and it’s been amazing.”

“Encouraging our kids to walk, cycle, skate or scooter to school is better for the environment and better for them, so it’s wonderful to see so many of our students using active forms of transport.

Our children care about sustainability and are very proud to do their bit to support our environment.”

Council Manager of Transport Delivery and Planning Lynette Ellis says the collaboration between staff and the school has been very successful.

“We encourage schools to support active transport wherever practicable, and with our wide range of cycle networks around Christchurch, biking to school has never been easier.”