The Ridge Junior School

The Ridge Junior School

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"A school family, engaged, aspiring and learning together"

Active Travel

We are the only Primary School in South Gloucestershire to achieve the Platinum Modeshift Stars Award for our outstanding Travel Plan!

Our amazing travel team have been in the local press recently :-)

April 2024 (pg. 6) Yate & Sodbury Voice April 2024 by Richard Drew at Yate and Sodbury Voice - Issuu

October 2023 Yate junior school wins platinum award for travel plan - Yate and Sodbury Voice 

Travel Plan Assembly

 The Ridge Junior School promotes active travel because…

It helps keep our students fitter and healthy and research shows being active can help students concentrate better and increase their levels of achievement.

By walking or cycling, our school community can help reduce the number of vehicles on the road, making it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and easier for local residents.  It also reduces the pollution caused from exhaust fumes helping combat climate change and create cleaner air.

Click to view a copy of our Active Travel Policy

  • One in four cars on the road are on the school run and greenhouse gas emissions from road transport made up around a fifth of the UK’s total GHG emissions. Greenhouse gases contribute to climate change.
  • Air pollution causes 64,000 deaths annually in the UK, and a reduction of 1.5 years in average life expectancy. Air pollution affects the rates not just of respiratory diseases but also cardiovascular diseases like heart failure.
  • More than a third of children are overweight (including obese) by the time they leave primary school. Child obesity strongly indicates to adult obesity – which in turn can lead to poor health outcomes including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression and premature death.
  • Children and young people aged 13-16 (Years 9-11) are the least likely to be active and travel to and from school can contribute up to half of a young person’s overall physical activity.
  • Just 34% of secondary school children walk to school, and only 3% cycle to school.

 

WHY ACTIVE TRAVEL IS IMPORTANT

  1. Cleaner air – reducing cars helps reduce air pollution around the school gates.
  2. Helps tackle climate change – by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from cars.
  3. Students are healthier and fitter – young people should have at least an hour of physical activity every day – walking or cycling to school contributes to this time.
  4. Helps students unwind at the end of the day – walking or cycling home gives them time to think.
  5. Improves concentration – studies have shown that students who are active are ready to learn and do better in their studies.
  6. Gives students more independence – walking or cycling without parents helps them develop skills for independent living when they are adults.
  7. Reduces congestion – as there are less cars on the road, making it more pleasant environment for everyone. This is especially important at The Ridge due to the fact that there is only one entrance and exit and currently this road becomes very congested at the beginning and end of the school day.
  8. Quicker than sitting in traffic
  9. Improves road safety at the school gates – because there is reduced traffic and parked cars.
  10. It’s cheaper to walk or cycle – as it saves on fuel.

We have an Active Travel Map  which details 5 and 10 minute walking and cycling zones around the school.  Use the map to help plan your journey.

Useful Links

TravelWest – Journey planning and advice on travelling around the South West. 

Living Streets – Parent toolkits, activity resources and advice on walking more every day.

Sustrans – The Charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle. The work we're doing creates healthier places and happier people.

Bikeability is today’s cycle training programme replacing cycling proficiency.  Bikeability gives everyone the skills and confidence for all kinds of cycling.

The Better By Bike website has loads of great cycling resources, covering where to buy a bike (new or second hand, from local bike shops), as well as a bike journey planner, and much more.  (betterbybike.info).

How to correctly fit a bike helmet: - https://www.sustrans.org.uk/media/7781/btsw-resources_helmetcheck_eng.pdf

Cycle route planning

There are lots of great resources for planning your cycling journeys whether that’s advice on quiet roads for your school commute, or leisure rides that will be a fun weekend family activity. Here is a selection of some:

Better by Bike Route Planner - Enter your start and end point and the map will suggest 3 cycle routes for fastest, quietest, and ‘balanced’ journey. (cycleplanner.betterbybike.info/route-planning )

‘Komoot’ route planner & tracker - You can use Komoot on your computer or download it as a phone app. You can record your journeys on Komoot to learn from favourite rides and log all your amazing pedal miles! (https://www.komoot.com/plan)

Downloadable maps

These downloadable maps detail on-road and traffic-free cycleways across South Gloucestershire. They’re good for getting a general sense of the cycle options in your neighbourhood without planning a specific route. (https://betterbybike.info/maps-and-guides/regional-cycle-maps/#south-gloucestershire)

Leisure Rides in South Gloucestershire. (https://betterbybike.info/maps-and-guides/guides-booklets/)