By Violet Li
Casey Council has partnered with VicHealth’s Walk to School initiative to encourage primary and secondary school children to walk, ride, scoot, or skate to and from school in an effort to foster healthy habits and safe communities.
The council will work with local schools to promote active transportation options.
The 2021 ABS statistics showed 61 percent of employed Casey residents commuted to work by car and over 66 percent of households owned two or more vehicles, reflecting the significant number of children being driven to school daily.
City of Casey’s connected communities manager Callum Pattie believed walking to school was a great opportunity for kids and for the community.
“Walking, riding, scooting, or skating before and after school can help reduce traffic and make the streets and drop-off zones around our schools safer,“ he said.
“We understand that not everyone can walk all the way to or from school so if this is the case, even walking part way is a good option.“
Mr Pattie said regular physical activity had an extensive spectrum of benefits for children, from enhanced mental wellbeing and uplifted mood and self-esteem, to bolstered confidence and life skills, and deeper bonds with family, friends, and neighbours.
“Beyond enriching the lives of our children, the transition from car commutes to footpaths contributes to safer school streets, a reduction in traffic congestion, and a greener environment,“ he said.
