Grant gets kids walking

3:18pm Monday 9th April 2007

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CHILDREN in Gwent will be able to walk to school safely, thanks to a £180,000 Welsh Assembly grant.

Blaenau Gwent Council were successful in their bid to the Assembly for four Safe Routes for Schools projects.

Safe Routes to School are a package of practical measurers for improving children's safety on the school journey, allowing more children to walk or cycle to school.

Every year, local authorities across Wales are invited to enter bids for funding.

The four bids by Blaenau Gwent Council were all accepted.

Georgetown Primary, Tredegar will receive £60,000; Glanhowy Primary, Tredegar will receive £40,000; Swffryd Primary, Swffryd will receive £60,000 and Bryngwyn Primary, Six Bells will receive £20,000.

The projects will include new walking and cycling routes to schools, improvements to existing routes, provision of new or improved access to schools, traffic management features such at 20mph zones, cycle storage facilities and safety barriers at school entrances.

There are a wide range of benefits to such projects - reduction of traffic and pollution around the school; reduction in the number of accidents; they encourage more children to walk and improve the health and fitness of pupils.

Councillor Royston Welch, executive member for sustainable communities said the council is "delighted" all the bids were accepted.