Listen up - Walk to School Week.

The Walk to School Campaign for May 2008 is focusing on children exploring their local environment through sound and noise.

Walk to School week is from Monday 19th to Friday 23rd May 2008. This year’s theme will link with Noise Action Week, by exploring the links between noise and walking to school.

Over 74 schools in the Highlands are actively taking part in walk to school week, and Edderton and Bonar Bridge Primaries are running a pedometer competition.

Traditionally, it is a one-week campaign to raise awareness of the problem. It is co-ordinated nationally by TravelWise and Living Streets, and locally by The Highland Council’s Road Safety Unit with TEC Services.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of The Highland Council’s TEC Services committee said: “Highland Council through its programme for Administration is committed to encouraging increased healthy and environmental options in school travel and thus increasing the number of children walking and cycling to school. Walk to School Week is a key point in our annual road safety calendar. It is vital to promote road safety issues and drive the message home that we are all responsible for the health and safety of our young people whether we are a parent; driver; pedestrian or pupil we must all teach and learn how to encourage walking to and from school safely.”

The link to noise explores noise pollution of vehicles on the school run but also addresses the issue of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ noises for children walking to school. ‘Good’ noises could be for example, being alert to the siren of an emergency vehicle approaching; while ‘bad’ noises could be from MP3 players and mobile phones which distract people from the other road traffic noise that they should listening to for their own safety.

Councillor Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport Committee said: “The school run has a significant impact on rush-hour traffic. Parents are being encouraged to walk to school with their young children as often as possible during the week and beyond. If the journey is too far to walk, then the message is, drive part way and walk the rest - keep the school gate area clear of traffic.”

According to a National Travel Survey by the Department for Transport in 2006, the proportion of primary school children walking has dropped from 61% in 1994 to 52% today. Forty-one percent of primary school children are now being driven to school.