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Active School Travel (AST) has multiple health, social and economic benefits for individuals and communities. Increasing AST will increase physical activity, improve air quality and have positive impacts on climate change.

Children who regularly walk to school can meet between 25-35% of their recommended amount of physical activity per school day. AST can also develop self-confidence; skills in assessing and managing risk, problem solving, social skills and can improve educational attainment. At a community and population level, increased AST can reduce motorised traffic volumes through modal shift, thereby decreasing pollution levels and reducing road danger.

Public Health Wales will be shortly rolling out the national Travel to School Hands Up Survey to all maintained primary schools in Wales. This validated survey will measure children’s self-reported mode of travel to school and will provide a clear picture and understanding of active school travel levels (e.g., walking, cycling, scooting) in Wales.

The survey this year’s survey week will be 25th to 29th of April.

Accurate and timely local and national information is important to drive action and improvement.  The roll out of the survey will support this process and is one the key actions in the new AST National Delivery Plan. 

The survey has been tested across schools and is easy to administer, typically taking around 5 minutes to undertake with a classroom of pupils. Each school that takes part will be able to access their results immediately on a purpose-built digital platform.

Please visit the Travel to School Hands Up Survey website for more information, or if you have any questions or comments you would like to share, please email TravelToSchool@wales.nhs.uk.