West End State School gets Active
23 November, 2006
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West End State School will be one of 13 schools to be involved in next year’s award-winning Active School Travel Program.
“The program encourages children to walk, cycle or catch public transport to school each day,” Dutton Park Councillor Helen Abrahams said.
“In the past year, the Active School Travel Program has seen an average 14 per cent reduction in car travel with some schools recording up to a 20 per cent reduction,” she said.
“This means less traffic congestion around schools and an increase in levels of physical activity.”
The popularity and success of the Active School Travel Program has seen Brisbane City Council increase the program from 10 schools in 2006, to 13 schools in 2007.
West End State School was selected from 26 formal applications.
The 26 schools were ranked against criteria such as need, enthusiasm and feasibility.
“The Active School Travel Program has creative strategies to establish positive healthy attitudes.
“For example, one part of the program is the ‘walking school bus’ - which involves a Blue-Card accredited walk leader and a group of children walking along a set route to or from school. The ‘walking bus’ drops off and picks up children, similar to a normal bus route,” Cr Abrahams said.
“We are also committed to fighting obesity, particularly in children and this program certainly assists with this goal.”