Benefits of active travel
Active travel includes walking, cycling, scooting, running or other active modes of travel.
It can provide many benefits:
- improves children’s physical and mental health, behaviour and academic achievement
- promotes healthy exercise
- develops pedestrian and social skills
- reduces traffic congestion around schools
- improves air quality and reduces greenhouse gas emissions
- gives children independence, whilst in a safe environment
- saves parents time
The WOW scheme (walk once a week)
WOW is a student-led initiative. Primary school children self-report how they get to school every day using a travel tracker.
Children who walk or cycle to school once a week for a month get rewarded with a badge.
The challenge runs each month for the full school year.
A few schools in Jersey are currently taking part in WOW.
If you work in a primary school and would like your school to sign up email
sustainabletransport@gov.je. Parents or children should talk to their school first.
WOW – The walking school challenge on Living Streets
The walking bus and cycling crocodile
A walking bus means that an adult takes a group of children walking on their journey to and from school. The walking bus goes along a set route and collects children at set stops and times. The adult leads the group and acts as the driver.
The cycling crocodile is similar to the walking bus but children are cycling instead of walking.
Children are signed up in advance and a register is taken so the leader knows how many adults are needed for each journey.
Walking buses and cycling crocodiles usually depend on volunteer support. All volunteers must complete a DBS and training should be provided. This should be done by the school.
Setting up a group
If you want to set up a walking bus or a cycling crocodile you need to speak to your school's headteacher.
They should send a letter to parents to:
- find out if there’s an interest from parents and support for the scheme
- find how many children would take part
- for a lead walking bus operator, who will act as a point of contact for the walking bus or buses
- find volunteers, this might be on a rota basis
Your school would set rules for children to join a cycling crocodile. This can include a cycling assessment and checking if their bike is safe to use.
Find more information on how to set up a walking bus scheme on:
Safer routes to school
We’re working with schools to make their surrounding areas safer for children to walk or cycle to school.
This includes creating Safer School Zones and School Streets.
gov.je