Bromley Leads in Car-Free School Journeys, According to TfL Data
Bromley tops the list for car-free school journeys, promoting healthier travel options for students across London
Bromley, London, TfL, Travel for Life, Sustainable Travel
Bromley: So, guess what? Bromley has been named the top spot for car-free school journeys in London! This news comes straight from Transport for London (TfL), and it’s pretty exciting.
The whole idea behind this ranking is to get more schools involved in the Travel for Life program. It’s all about promoting walking and cycling to school, which is great for air quality and keeps kids healthy and safe.
This program is a collaboration between the London Transport Museum and local borough officers. Schools can earn Bronze, Silver, or Gold accreditation by encouraging students to ditch the car and walk or bike instead.
To snag that Gold badge, a school needs to cut car use by six percent or have 90 percent of students using sustainable transport. And guess what? Bromley has the highest number of Gold schools at 63 percent!
Islington and Havering follow closely behind, but Bromley is really leading the charge. It’s awesome to see so many schools getting on board.
Walking and cycling to school not only helps the environment but also boosts kids’ mood and behavior. Plus, it’s safer for everyone on the road.
In 2024, there were 735 Gold schools in London, which is a 10 percent increase from the previous year. Waltham Forest has the most schools participating in the Travel for Life program, with a whopping 81 percent involved.
With over 100,000 pupils and 91 percent of London schools taking part, TfL is really making strides. Lilli Matson from TfL emphasized how important clean air is for kids to thrive.
She pointed out that walking and cycling not only cuts down on car emissions but also gets kids moving, which is a win-win. It’s fantastic to see more schools achieving Gold status, and we need to keep that momentum going!
In fact, the number of children seriously injured or killed on London’s roads dropped by 40 percent last year, which is a huge improvement.
Living Streets, a national charity, highlights the health benefits of walking and cycling for kids, like better mood and behavior. Plus, fewer parents driving means safer roads.
With the goal of getting 55 percent of primary school kids walking to school by 2025, TfL is urging schools that aren’t part of the program to join in.
Will Norman, London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said now is the perfect time to get kids into sustainable travel. It’s a great way to support healthy lifestyles and improve the environment.