Published on Monday 07 December 2020
Schools and Colleges across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are being invited to apply for grants of between £500 and £20,000 to spend on new facilities that encourage active and sustainable travel.
The grants, supporting the council’s Transforming Travel ambitions, are being awarded for projects to install end of journey facilities for students and staff, who cycle or scooter to school. These can include facilities such as lockable bike stores, showers, lockers, bike repair stands, clothes drying facilities and electric bike charging points.
Councillor Nicola Greene, BCP Council’s Portfolio holder for Schools said: "This is a great opportunity for schools to install facilities that encourage healthy, green travel. All commuters know that the level of rush hour traffic increases when schools return from holiday. By providing facilities so that more families and staff members can make the choice to not use their car for the school run, we can help decrease congestion and pollution."
Councillor Greene continued: "Encouraging our children to take the active way to school has so many benefits; not the least of which is encouraging them to get more fresh air and exercise every day, which is a known benefit in tackling childhood obesity"
The grants are being funded by the £79m+ Transforming Cities Fund that BCP Council and Dorset Council were awarded earlier this year by the Department for Transport. Schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole can apply for grants of between £500 and £20,000 but need to fund at least 20% of the total cost of the project themselves.
Schools wishing to apply for a grant from the £100,000 available, can get further information and a link to the online application form by emailing: a2b.team@bcpcouncil.gov.uk. But hurry, as the deadline for applications is Friday 29th January 2021.