Nearley 24,000kg of CO2 Emissions and 35 kg of NOx Saved During School Run Across the Region
School children in Cornwall have made an impressive impact on their environment by participating in the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel competition, recording 26,864 journeys to school by foot, scooter, bicycle, or wheelchair. This year’s event, held between 11-22 March 2024, saw children across the UK making over 2.3 million active school journeys.
Outstanding Environmental Impact
Throughout Cornwall, 30 schools, including three secondary schools, joined the challenge to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution. Their efforts saved an estimated 23,897 kg of CO2 emissions and 35 kg of Nitrogen Oxides, marking a significant achievement for the region. Compared to last year’s competition, Cornwall saw an increase of 10,000 active journeys.
Top Performers and Prizes
St Agnes Academy and St Stephen’s Primary in Launceston stood out among the primary schools, winning prize visits from Big Top Mania’s Cycle Circus. Over 75 per cent of students at St Agnes and more than 70 per cent at St Stephen’s participated by travelling to school actively. Maura Furber, headteacher at St Stephen’s Community Academy, praised the event for its positive impact on the school community.
“More children than ever are either making their parents park further away so they could walk, and scooters and bikes are making their way out of hibernation ready for the summer term and better weather. The sustainable travel message is definitely out there!” Maura said.
At St Agnes Academy, assistant head Matthew Howes shared his excitement, stating, “WoW….What an experience! The children loved it!”
In the secondary school category, Humphry Davy School in Penzance emerged as the winner, with a third of its pupils walking, wheeling, or cycling to school. Their reward was a thrilling demonstration of tricks and stunts by the Extreme Mountain Bike Show.
Inspiring Active Travel
The Big Walk and Wheel is delivered by Sustrans, a charity focused on making walking, wheeling, and cycling easier, in collaboration with sponsors Schwalbe Tyres UK and Cornwall Council. The event aims to inspire pupils to make active journeys to school, thereby improving air quality and highlighting the benefits of these changes.
Nick Ratcliffe, Sustrans Project Manager in Cornwall, expressed his gratitude: “Thanks to all the schools and local families across Cornwall who took part in the Big Walk and Wheel. This is a fantastic result for the region, and really demonstrates how a small change in the way we travel can have a big impact on our local environment.”
Engaging Activities
Throughout the challenge, Sustrans organised events at various schools in Cornwall to motivate families to adopt active travel for the school run. Families were treated to breakfast as a reward for their efforts, along with playground cycle skills sessions and bike maintenance workshops.
The annual event, open to all primary and secondary schools in the UK, provides free resources to encourage pupils to help reduce air pollution and understand the benefits of active travel for themselves, their schools, their neighbourhoods, and the planet.
Long-Term Success
Since the start of data collection for the challenge in 2011, pupils have travelled a staggering 23.9 million miles through 15.9 million active travel journeys, saving 12,700 tonnes of CO2. The 2024 challenge alone saw 2.3 million active journeys to 1,727 participating schools, saving an estimated 1,730,486 kg of CO2 emissions.
For more information about the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, visit the website, follow Sustrans on Twitter @sustrans and on Facebook.
