Shropshire school travel plan awards event success

Press release - 11 July 2007

29 Shropshire primary schools are celebrating after receiving an award from Shropshire County Council for successfully developing their first travel plan.

The schools attended the annual School Travel Plan Awards Ceremony at The Gateway Education and Arts Centre in Shrewsbury, in recognition of developing the document which sets out an action plan to cut car use on the school journey.

The event, held on 2 July 2007, was hosted by Shropshire County Council's Transport Planning section. This section provides advice and guidance to schools producing their travel plan.

Each school received a certificate and children representing each school provided the audience with a summary of their progress with the travel plan to date.

Ray Hughes, Shropshire County Council’s school travel plan coordinator, said: "All the schools attending have worked very hard to promote more environmentally and healthy modes of travel to school. The event gave everyone the opportunity to hear what had worked well and to go away with new ideas and inspiration".

John Everall, Shropshire County Council's Cabinet member for Environment and Sustainability, who awarded the certificates, added: "We also awarded 12 schools with established travel plans a Silver Award as they have sustained their efforts to meet their car reduction targets. They have also spent wisely their government travel plan grant on a range of projects including parent waiting shelters, cycle parking and new internal footpaths".

Ends

For further information, call Ray Hughes, Senior School Travel Plan Coordinator, on (01743) 253137.
For media contact, call Laura Owen, Communications Officer, Economy & Environment on (01743) 253318.