Active School Travel Peterborough

Active School Travel Peterborough promotes the use of active and sustainable transportation for the daily trip to school, addressing health and traffic safety issues while taking action on air pollution and climate change. Each year, we work with schools in the city and county of Peterborough to implement programs that encourage students to walk, run, cycle, skate or bus to school.

TEACHERS, PARENTS, STUDENTS – Please take a moment to let us know what programs would best meet your needs this school year!

Our Goals:

Healthier Children

Active school travel helps school-aged children meet the recommendation to accumulate at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, which is associated with improved physical and mental health.

Safer School Zones

Reducing traffic volumes creates safer school zones and saves school staff time. Improving walking and cycling routes to school also enhances the safety, connectivity, and quality of life for the community as a whole.

Less Traffic and Pollution

Reducing the number of children being driven to school reduces greenhouse gas emissions and particulate air pollution around the school; this improves air quality and reduces associated risks of lung and cardiovascular diseases.

Better Academic Performance

Increased physical activity specifically associated with the school journey increases alertness and attention during the school day. Physical activity supports healthy brain development, which can lead to improved learning and academic outcomes.

Benefits observed by parents, teachers, and students involved in our programs:

Students become more familiar with their communities and routes to school
Students build their road sense, learning about traffic and bicycle safety
Students arrive to school more alert and ready to learn
Families build daily physical activity into a busy schedule
Families have positive impacts on air and noise pollution by reducing car use

Our Projects:

(Stay tuned, lessons coming soon!)

Program History

Active School Travel Peterborough (formerly Active and Safe Routes to School Peterborough) was established in 1999 to address health and environmental issues related to school travel. The Active School Travel Committee creates and collaborates on programs and projects with a vision of ‘All students having the opportunity to walk, bike or bus to and from school as a part of their daily school experience’.

Our goals include: 1. Increase community capacity to advance the use of walking, biking and bussing; 2. Advocate for policy and infrastructure that facilitates walking, biking and bussing; 3. Increase awareness and understanding, in the broader community, of the importance of active lifestyles and the supporting built environment; and, 4. Improve community safety as it relates to walking, biking, and bussing to and from school.