Go green with the school run this September - Alliance

10.46.17am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 18th Aug 2006

Alliance Environment Spokesperson, Stewart Dickson

Alliance Party Environment Spokesperson, Cllr Stewart Dickson, has called on parents preparing for their children's return to school in September, to look into more environmentally-friendly ways of getting them to school this year. Cllr Dickson has asked parents to consider using public transport, sharing lifts or walking with their children to school.

The Carrickfergus Councillor said: "At this time of the summer parents are preparing for the start of the school year. While parents are buying uniforms and school books they should also be considering how to make their school run more environmentally friendly.

"I strongly encourage parents to look into using the bus or the train to get their children to school. They should also consider sharing the school run with other parents to ensure that fewer cars are used in the process.

"They should also think about walking with their children to school when possible. This cuts out car usage altogether and helps promote healthy living for young people.

"If parents try to go green with the school run this September it would help prevent the rush-hour gridlock which is normally experienced on many roads during term-time.

"Considering that petrol and diesel prices have broken the £1 per litre barrier, people would be very wise to examine alternatives to using the car to get their children to school this year.

"This is an issue that school should be tackling. Schools should be should their initiative and teaming up with parents' groups to provide innovative ways of making transport more environmentally friendly. One idea which has worked elsewhere is something known as a walking train. This is where playground supervisors and classroom room assistants walk with 30 or 40 children to school, from designated places."

ENDS