Our Active Travel Schools – Case Studies

Ysgol Gwaelod Y Garth Y Garth Primary/Gwaelod

This dual stream school is a shining example of how positive changes have been made to the way children and their families travel to school.

Before the changes were made, vehicles were able to access the school playground to drop children off to waiting staff.

Safety concerns were raised for children and staff walking amongst moving traffic in the playground and for being exposed to exhaust fumes.

The school is located in a small village with a single-track road in parts, and the volume of vehicles at drop off and pick up times resulted in congestion affecting  parents, residents and through traffic.

Headteacher Catrin Evans worked closely with Cardiff Council’s Active Travel Team to write a plan and implement the actions within it.

The school playground was closed to all vehicles, except for two school transport buses, which immediately reduced the air pollution and improved the safety for pupils arriving at school. Bus engines were switched off while children were disembarking and only restarted when all children were safely in school.

Information was sent to parents regarding the closure of the playground to vehicles, with a suggested parking area just a few minutes walk away from school.

The suggested parking area resulted in less vehicles entering the village itself, and it was also the meeting point for the Walking Bus run by school staff every morning.

The walking bus allows parents to drop their children off to staff who will the walk the rest of the journey to school with them, this is ideal for working parents who have a further onward journey or for those less mobile.

Improvements were made to an existing path through the Llan woodland providing children and their families a vehicle free route to school.

With the help of Sustrans and parent Tori James, the school community set up a Bike Bus.

School staff, parents and children meet in Taffs Well, and the bike bus cycle together

to school every other Friday.

It’s a fantastic achievement, a great way to start the day, and the school have been nominated in the category ‘Cardiff School Doing Most to Encourage Cycling to School’ in the Cardiff Cycling Awards 2023. Good luck!

Congratulations and thank you to Headteacher Catrin Evans, school staff, the children and their families, and the Gwaelod Y Garth school community for making these changes.

“This year we’ve seen our Bike Bus go from strength to strength. Around 30 cyclists of all abilities, including parents, pupils and staff now meet every other Friday in Taff’s Well before making the journey to the school site around a mile away. It’s fantastic to see the success of our Bike Bus and it gives our parents and children the opportunity to get physical activity into their day which can help people feel fitter and happier. It also helps to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions and helps to reduce the traffic outside the school.” Catrin Evans Head teacher

“The children are happier [when they get to school], they’re more energised and there are the obvious health benefits that also go with it,” said mum Tori James, who helps organise the popular Bike Bus. “We have music playing too, and I definitely think that’s one the highlights.”

“Lots of children have commented on the fact they get to cycle with their friends and can be sociable on the way to school, and they’re doing something fun and active at the same time.”

“Many schools could do this. It takes a bit of determination and effort by both the parents and staff, but by working with organisations such as Sustrans you can get the expertise you need to map out safe routes that are available for all different ages.”

“We have children in Reception class cycling with us. It really has a focus on ensuring it’s accessible to everyone – even those who have just learnt to ride a bike.” Tori James

Gwaelod-Y-Garth pupil Max Henley, nine, said: “The Bike Bus has great music, and I can talk to my friends on the way to school. The hill right at the end is quite steep so it’s a great feeling to get to the top.”

Fellow pupil Evan Smith, also nine, added: “I think [the Bike Bus] is good for the environment and it’s a really nice route. We go on the main road, then we go across a bridge and it’s lovely to the see the river and all the trees and birds.”

Deputy headteacher at Gwaelod-Y-Garth Primary, Owain Jones, said the Bike Bus was a perfect opportunity to get some fresh air and make use of their rural location. “It’s really important as part of everyone’s mental health and wellbeing. Personally, it’s a good excuse to get the bike out every two weeks and have some exercise early in the morning. I think some of the children see the staff in a slightly different way and are happier to approach them about personal matters as they’ve built up that connection.”

Hamish Belding, the Sustrans Bike Bus coordinator, “We are seeing Bike Buses pop up all over the place. It just demonstrates that there is a demand from pupils, parents and schools to see more active journeys taking place,” he said.“ There’s a planning process around each Bike Bus which aims to make the journeys as safe as possible. As an organisation, we have a toolkit that parents can access which gives them lots of really useful tips and advice about how to choose a sa

fe route to school, how they can manage a Bike Bus, how they can keep it safe and – most importantly of all – how they can keep it sustainable.