First school scooter scheme launches

Leicestershire’s first ever school scooter scheme along with a week of travel related activities will kick off in Wigston on Monday.

Leicestershire County Council is launching a new Star Travel scheme at Thythorn Field Primary School in a bid to encourage pupils and their parents to walk, cycle, scoot, car share or travel on public transport to school.

On Monday (March 19) a new shelter housing bikes and scooters will be opened at the school and Leicestershire’s first ever school scooter scheme officially launched.

Throughout the week, which is also Sustrans’ Bike to School Week, activities including the postcoding of bikes by the police and a Dr Bike session to teach pupils how to maintain their bikes and scooters will be held.

Special scooter training sessions including skills such as how to balance and snake will also take place.

Cary Ralph, head teacher at Thythorn Field Primary School, said: "We are excited by the launch of the Star Travel scheme and hope it will encourage more children to walk, scoot or cycle to school.

We would like to say a special thank you to the Friends of Thythorn for raising money to make the bike / scooter shelter a reality and the council for its support in setting up this initiative."

Lesley Pendleton, County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: We are very pleased to be staging a week of travel related activities and launching our first ever school scooter scheme At Thythorn Field Primary School.

Scooting and cycling to school are not only fun but they will help children stay fit and healthy, help prevent pollution and congestion at the school gates and save their parents money on fuel.”

       ENDS