Local schools celebrate active travel competition success

Schools across Bridgend County Borough Council have been competing in the Big Walk and Wheel – a competition encouraging pupils to cycle, walk or scoot to and from school.

The Big Walk and Wheel saw 13 schools taking part, clocking over 16,500 journeys.

Croesty Primary School were the county borough’s highest ranking in the ‘Small Primary School’ category, finishing 181^st out of 655 nationwide participants thanks to an impressive 72.64 per cent of their pupils taking part.

Garth Primary School, Bryntirion Infants School, Coychurch Primary School, Cwmfelin Primary School, Cefn Cribwr Primary School and Porthcawl Primary School were also commended for their efforts.

In the ‘Large Primary School’ category, Corneli Primary School scored 79.92 per cent pupil participation. Their efforts were enough to see them break into the Top 100, finishing 98^th out of 813.

Brynmenyn Primary School just missed out on the county borough’s top spot, finishing just 0.02 per cent behind Corneli Primary School.

Pupils at Litchard Primary School, Tremains Primary School, Llangewydd Junior School and West Park Primary School also put in stellar efforts over the two-week competition.

Organised by transport charity Sustrans, and supported locally by Bridgend County Borough Council, the Big Walk and Wheel is the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting challenge, encouraging parents to leave their cars at home for the daily school run.

The popularity of scooters continues to soar locally, with 22 per cent of this year’s Big Walk and Wheel journeys made by scooter, compared with 13 per cent on bikes. Walking and wheelchair was the most popular mode of transport with 54 per cent.

Once again, the Big Walk and Wheel has received an incredible response from schools across the UK and in Bridgend County Borough.

The competition is all about encouraging ‘active travel’ which is healthier for both children and parents and better for the environment too.

The support has been incredible, and we hope that ‘active journeys’ will continue across all schools in Bridgend County Borough throughout the summer and beyond.

Roger Dutton, Bridgend County Borough Council’s Sustrans Schools Officer

A number of prizes were made available to participating schools in Bridgend County Borough including a visit from Fusion Extreme’s Mountain Bike Show, a visit from freestyle BMX rider Matti Hemmings or ‘Scooterpods’ – colourful and compact storage for scooters.