Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Thursday, 29 March 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 April 2007. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Tuesday, 17 April 2007 on behalf of the Department for Transport.

Walking: Pupils

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to extend Walking to School initiatives.

Answer: The Government are funding over 3,000 schools to increase walking to school: 1,903 schools to set up and sustain a walking bus and 1,328 to set up and sustain an alternative walking initiative, following my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Transport’s announcement of 22 November 2006. More than one in six primary schools in England chose to apply and were eligible for the grant. The House and schools were informed of the allocations for 2007-08 on 26 March.The successful schools will be eligible for further grants in 2008-09 and 2009-10 if they deliver the modal shift from car to walking that their head teachers promised and they have a reasonable expectation that this will continue.

Secondary information