Transport

The first School Count your Carbon Report recently released by Eco Schools found that transport accounts for roughly 41% of a school’s total footprint when including staff travel and school trips, – more than the heating and powering of buildings combined.

The school run accounts for 21% of this total!

Finding ways to encourage students and families to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to school provides safer travel for everyone, reduces air pollution around the school, and the exercise and fresh air improves mental and physical health.

Continue reading for ideas and initiatives to promote more active travel:

Promote clean air around schools

Reminding families to consider the issues brought by driving around the school in school newsletters or emails, could encourage them to consider more active travel.

Post the local bus routes and timetable on the school website.

Action for Clean Air offers information, ideas and resources to promote clean air around schools.

Promote Clean air day on 18th June 2026. Action for Clean Air also provides information and resources including an anti-idling toolkit to support your event.

Find the latest reports on the air quality in Sussex from Sussex Air.

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel

Promote Active Travel

The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust (previously Sustrans) has produced an Active Travel Toolkit with advice on everything you need and helpful case studies to support your Active Travel Plan.

Take part in the Big Walk and Wheel in March to encourage staff and students to use active travel to school.

Modeshift STARS Education offers resources and an accreditation for your Active travel plan

Does your Academy Trust offer a Cycle to work scheme to promote to your staff?

East Sussex Bikeability Team offers cycle training during school holidays for children unable to attend an in school session. They also offer courses for adults.

Bikeability flag with a pile of bike stabilisers

East Sussex Bikeability training

The Cycle Team can provide Bikeability courses to all schools across East Sussex

Schools and academies may book as many courses as they have the demand for, our hope is that every child in the year group has the opportunity to benefit from this important and valuable life skill.

Courses are booked via the school and a Level 2 course consist of up to five 90-minute sessions.

There is a charge to the training, please contact the school directly or the Cycle training Team for further details.

The courses we can offer to Schools and academies are:

  • Plus Balance Bikeability Plus – Bikeability Plus; a suite of courses to meet your needs
  • Plus Learn 2 Ride Bikeability Plus – Bikeability Plus; a suite of courses to meet your needs
  • Level 1 Bikeability Level 1 – Maintain your cycle, Glide and Control your bike
  • Level 2 Bikeability Level 2 – Start & stop, Passing vehicles & Understand the road
  • Level 3 Bikeability Level 3 – Riding position, complex roads and confident response

Visit the website to find out more.

Cycle Training at Eastbourne Cycle Centre | East Sussex County Council

People riding around a playground on accessible bikes

Wheels for All

The East Sussex Bikeability team also delivers Wheels for All

Wheels for All is a nationally recognised initiative, working alongside the charity Cycling Projects that embraces adults and children with disabilities and differing needs, to engage in a quality cycling activity. By using specially adapted cycles, the activities are both physically and mentally stimulating and above all fun for everyone involved.

Our disabled-friendly centre is equipped with specially adapted cycles, as well as standard cycles for carers and those able to use them. We have Wheels for All trained leaders, and volunteers, who have the knowledge and confidence to work with adapted cycles for participants to enjoy the benefits of cycling. The centre welcomes individuals, groups and families to be involved. We have a clubroom with facilities to offer refreshments.

We run sessions all year round. With the exception of a short break over Christmas and New Year. Occasionally we are unable to run due to exceptionally bad weather (Very cold/icy, very windy or very wet).

The sessions are delivered as booked 1 hour slots on a Thursday and Friday.

Please visit the website for more information.

School Streets

School Streets

School Streets is an initiative where vehicles are restricted from entering the roads around a school at drop off and pick up time. This reduces air pollution where a lot of children will be walking and makes it a safer space.

This initiative has proved popular with schools where it has been implemented.

In East Sussex, three schools now have School Streets. Read the article from East Sussex County Council.

Here are more useful School Streets resources:

Students with Dodge the smog banner

Active Travel Maps

The young people of Green United have produced a Dodge the Smog Clean Air Walking Map of Lewes. Find out more from their website.

In 2019 Seaford Head School worked with the charity Living Streets to produce an active travel map. The map won the Transport Planning Society People’s award for giving new students the confidence to walk and cycle to school. In 2025, with funding from Ouse Valley Climate Action, 1000 more copies of the map have been reprinted to continue to encourage new students to plan their walking or cycling journey to school.

Map created by Pindar Creative