Schools take first STEPs towards sustainable Slough travel
Last week saw the launch of the Berkshire STEP Awards at Maidenhead Town Hall. STEP stands for School Travel Excellence Programme and is an initiative which has been developed in partnership by the six Berkshire unitary authorities. STEP rewards local Slough schools for their sustainable travel achievements through an annual award scheme.
STEP was launched on Wednesday 17 October with the event attended by over 50 Berkshire nursery, primary, secondary and Special Educational Needs schools
The scheme has been set up to reward schools for their continuous achievement and sustained effort in the area of School Travel Plans. The Department of Transport has set all English local authorities the target for all their schools to have developed a fully approved Travel Plan by 2010. By encouraging pupils to travel to school by modes other than being driven, School Travel Plans reduce the congestion caused by the school run on local roads, improve road safety and benefit pupils’ health and the environment. The STEPs programme gives another incentive to all schools to get their Travel Plan up and running!
School travel advisor for Slough Borough Council, Jennie File said “We were aware of the huge success that other local authorities have had with their excellence programmes for School Travel Plans and we thought is was about time that the schools in Berkshire had something that rewarded all their hard work.”
Logo for Berkshire STEPThe event saw speakers from OFSTED, Living Streets (the organisation behind Work to School Weeks) and Bright Kids. The region’s school travel advisors presented practical advice on how to develop a Travel Plan, the benefits they can deliver and how to get involved in the STEP awards. The climax to the event was the unveiling of the new STEPs logo. The winning designer was from West Berkshire won a brand new bicycle for her artistic talents, courtesy of AW Cycles, Reading.
The first annual STEPs awards will take place in October 2008 with all schools in Berkshire, which have an approved Travel Plan in place, able to enter. STEPs packs will be sent out to all schools before Christmas which will contain details on how to enter and the awards that will be available. In the meantime if your school is interested in entering or would like more information on School Travel Plans please contact Jennie File on 01372 756558.
Slough Borough Council