Swansea children join in worldwide walk to school campaign

Children in Swansea have helped reduce congestion by walking to school instead of being driven by parents.

The mass walking initiative is taking place as part of International Walk to School Month which is being held during October.

Welsh singer songwriter Mal Pope joined Swansea Council's latest road safety mascot, Rocky the Rooster and children from Oystermouth Primary School as they made their way from Underhill Park to the school.

The Council's Road Safety Team has been working with schools throughout Swansea in an attempt to encourage parents and pupils to leave the car at home and walk.

Allison Gough, Swansea Council's Safer Routes to School Officer said, "The school has been very supportive towards the walk to school campaign. Almost 200 pupils and parents at Oystermouth Primary joined in the initiative and had a lot of fun."

Oystermouth Primary School regularly hold a special walking to school day every Wednesday called 'Walk on Wednesday (WOW)' and have recently applied for Safer Routes to School funding which can be used to make the environment around the school safer for pupils when they walk or cycle to school.

Allison added, "We've visited other schools this week and are hoping they will support the initiative and walk to school."

Many schools in Swansea hold Walking Buses which involves identifying specific sites on popular walking routes to schools where children and parents can meet up and walk to school as a group.

Statistics have highlighted that parents taking their children to school by car contributes to 20 percent of traffic congestion in towns and cities.

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