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.

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.

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:

Department for Transport – How to set up and manage School Streets
Guidance from School Streets Initiative
A School Streets Toolkit from Hackney Council
School Street Design in West Sussex

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