Wyndham City Council in partnership with students at Saltwater P–9 School have embraced the Active Travel program, with 5 student Junior Active Travel Leaders selected for the program from Year 4 and Year 5 to encourage their peers to swap car rides for walking, riding and scooting. 

Saltwater P-9 is joining four other local schools that are participating in the Junior Active Travel Leaders program to further engage young people in active travel modes.

The student leaders will now take the lead in engaging other students to actively travel to and from school on a regular basis and receive support from their teachers and Council’s Sustainable Transport officer.

The Junior Active Travel Leaders receive an upcycled bike or a service on their existing bike, bike helmet, bike lock and a bag of items to help them begin their journey in promoting active travel to school.

Wyndham City’s Active Travel initiative aims to make it easier and safer for students to travel actively to and from school, helping them build lifelong healthy habits and also improves concentration in the classroom. It also helps reduce traffic congestion around the school gates making school zones safer for everyone and a more connected school community.

The program includes practical support such as education, bike and scooter safety sessions, and encouragement events like Walk to School days. Students are also learning about road safety and the environmental benefits of choosing active transport over driving.

Parents and carers are being encouraged to support the active travel initiative by walking part of the journey with younger children or organising ‘walking school buses’ with neighbours.

For more information on how to participate, visit https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/activetravel