DfT funding means safer and greener routes to school

The education and skills secretary Charles Clarke and transport secretary Alistair Darling have announced plans to develop safer, greener and healthier ways to travel to school.

The DfT is providing £10 million of funding to 100 local authorities to develop walking and cycling routes as part of the Links to Schools programme. The grant is being given to Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, which has built the National Cycle Network and will oversee the building of new links to schools across England.

A School Transport Bill was introduced this month to enable up to 20 local education authorities to develop solutions to school transport problems, reducing traffic congestion and cutting pollution.

"We are determined to ensure that cycling and walking to school become a safe and healthy option for children and to reassure parents that their children are safe when travelling to and from school," said transport secretary Alistair Darling. "This investment builds upon the annual investment of more than £20 million a year which the Departments for Transport and Education are making in the Travelling to School initiative, and will provide further help to children and parents who want to come to school without their cars."