Modeshift launches Active Travel Inspectors initiative alongside Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP
Developed alongside Active Travel England, Active Travel Inspectors will see Key Stage 2 children inspect their local school neighbourhood and identify improvements
Resources are free to any school in England who is registered with the Modeshift STARS scheme
Primary School Pupils are being given the opportunity to identify improvements required to the area in and around their school. This will be done through the Active Travel Inspectors (ATI) initiative, which aims to empower Key Stage 2 pupils to inspect their school neighbourhood, identifying ways to make walking, wheeling, and cycling easier and more enjoyable for school journeys.
Supported by school staff, pupils will become Active Travel Inspectors, tasked with assessing what supports or limits them from travelling actively. As a group, they will rate different aspects of the area and share ideas for improvements. Findings can be shared with local authorities, Modeshift and Active Travel England in order to contribute to improving everyday journeys for everyone.
The scheme has been developed by Modeshift and Active Travel England and is supported by the Department for Transport. Modeshift is a not-for-profit membership organisation that supports, inspires, and champions individuals and organisations that are working to deliver interventions and strategies to improve everyday journeys.
ATI was launched by the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander MP, Chris Boardman, the National Active Travel Commissioner, Nick Butler, Chief Operating Officer at Modeshift and Josh Dean, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hertford and Stortford at Hollybush Primary School in Hertford.
Heidi, Chris and Nick joined teachers and members of the Modeshift team to take part in an inspection, which included a short bike ride around the roads close to the entrance to the school. ATI resources, which are provided by Modeshift, are available for free for any school in England – as long as they are registered with the Modeshift STARS scheme. They include PowerPoint slides to provide an introduction, a Teacher Activity Booklet and an Active Travel Inspector Activity Sheet.
Increasing the number of children walking, wheeling or cycling to school has many benefits. Not only is it positive for the mental and physical wellbeing of students, but it also helps to reduce congestion around schools and deliver better air quality. This initiative will play a vital role in educating children about those benefits, and empowering them to seek improvements.
Chris Boardman, National Active Travel Commissioner said:
“Around 40% of children are being driven to school and missing out on the higher levels of happiness and life satisfaction that their classmates who walk and cycle to school enjoy.
“Being a Junior Active Travel Inspector will empower kids to assess their own neighbourhoods, and give them the skills and support they need to work with councils to make improvements to local streets, which will encourage their classmates to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school. An active journey to school can unlock the health benefits for the whole family, and the wider community.”
Nick Butler, Chief Operating Officer at Modeshift said:
“Children are experts in their own journeys to school, they see and experience things that adults often overlook. The Active Travel Inspectors initiative gives them a real voice in shaping safer, healthier and more enjoyable routes.
‘’By empowering pupils to assess and improve their own environments, we’re not only supporting active travel but also encouraging a generation of young people to become engaged citizens who care about how we move around our communities.”
Read more about Active Travel Inspectors here!
Take a look at some of the highlights from the Active Travel Inspectors visit using this link!
