Primary school pupils in East Renfrewshire chose last week’s national Walk to School Week to launch a campaign to encourage fellow pupils and their parents to walk, cycle or scoot to school year-round.

Pupils from Giffnock, Kirkhill, Mearns and Carolside primary schools have been taking part in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s ‘Learn about Air’ project since the beginning of term and have really embraced the concept of reducing air pollution in their local area.

All four schools were provided with air quality monitors for three weeks, with P6 pupils given the opportunity to record and analyse data on the air quality at or near their school before presenting their findings to teachers and fellow pupils.

Although the air quality across East Renfrewshire is generally good, the pupils’ research showed peaks in air pollution levels at their schools at drop-off and pick-up times and the schools’ Eco Committees then challenged pupils to create banners that would persuade people to leave the car at home in all but the most essential of journeys.

Eleven year-old Lily Frame who is a Junior Road Safety Officer at Giffnock Primary School said, “We (Junior Road Safety Officers) had the job of installing the monitors, recording the results and sharing our findings with the whole school. It felt like a really important job and I hope it will make everybody think carefully about driving to school.”

Dr Colin Gillespie, SEPA’s Principal Air Scientist who worked on the development of the teaching package said: “I’m pleased to see East Renfrewshire Council using the teaching package ‘Learn about air’ in their primary schools.”

“Air pollution is one of the biggest direct environmental risks to human health, but because it’s invisible people give it very little thought, so teaching our school children about their local environment and how they contribute to air quality is really important. Transport is a major source of local air pollution and reducing vehicle emission or using our car less, by walking or cycling to school, is one way we can help improve air quality.”   ‘Learn about Air’ is being run in conjunction with local authority roads and environment departments who have been delighted with the results.

East Renfrewshire Council Environmental Health Officer, Claire Reid, added,  “We’ve had a tremendous response to the project across all four schools and would like to congratulate everyone for their hard work, not least all of the pupils who came up with such fantastic designs for the banners and, of course, the ultimate winners – two from each school – who each receive a special certificate.”  Prize-winning banners such as eleven year-old Jamie Allan’s (pictured) and ten year-old Ellie McDonald’s, 'Don't be a fool. Walk to school', will now take pride of place on railings at the four participating schools to remind parents of the significant health and environmental benefits of leaving the car at home.

As part of the drive, Council officers have also been speaking to drivers who let their vehicles idle outside school premises. On one day alone at one particular school, officers cautioned 50 drivers for the practice, which can lead to a fixed penalty of £20.