Promoting active travel

Teachers’ union NEU and communications union CWU, among others, used Clean Air Day on 20 June 2019 (see page 31) to raise awareness of how union members can take and support action to “make the air we breathe cleaner and safer for all”.

The NEU pointed to examples of how to improve air quality on-site and around the school gate, such as green screens, air purifiers and timed road closures.

But the union says it can be harder to find stories about how staff teams can take action to reduce the carbon footprint of their journeys to work. It says that an active commute, through walking or cycling can also improve mental health, although “without an inviting tree-lined walking route or safe cycle network, an active commute can be not only unpleasant, but unsafe, to the detriment of the environment and our clean air aspirations, as well as our health and wellbeing.”

It is calling on the government to increase investment in cycling and walking routes and improve public transport to encourage active travel.