Active School Travel in Northern Ireland

Sustrans is being funded by the Department for Infrastructure and the Public Health Agency to continue delivering the Active School Travel Programme across Northern Ireland until 2021. Currently, our Schools Team is working with over 400 schools.

Increasing the number of children who regularly walk, cycle or scoot to school has numerous benefits including:

• increased physical activity levels resulting in improved health and wellbeing
• reduced congestion and pollution around schools 
• improved academic performance and attendance rates
• increased road safety awareness
• increased confidence, self-esteem, and independence for young people.

This initiative provides schools with a planned programme of activities throughout the year, both in and out of the classroom, as well as direct hands-on support from a dedicated Sustrans Active Travel Officer. The fundamental aim of the programme is providing schools with the skills and knowledge to get more children walking, cycling and scooting as their main mode of transport to school.