BAYSIDE Mayor Councillor James Long is encouraging Bayside primary schools to register for National Ride2School Day, which aims to increase the number of students walking and riding to school.

National Ride2School, which will be held on Wednesday 25 March 2009, is run by Bicycle Victoria and is part of the state government’s Go for your Life initiative.

“Ride2School Day is a fantastic program and I encourage schools to get behind the day and involve their students.

“Six out of the 27 schools in Bayside have already registered to participate in this year’s event. Council would love to see all the schools involved,” Cr Long said.

Schools can run their own activity on the day to promote riding, scooting, walking and taking public transport to school on a regular basis.

“Children are not as active as they used to be. Twenty to 30 years ago, 80 per cent of children walked, cycled or took public transport to school.  Today, only 20 per cent use any of these means to travel to school.

“The Ride2School Day event is an opportunity to get schools, students and parents thinking and adopting active modes of transport,” Cr Long said.

Active travel improves health and fitness, decreases greenhouse gas emitted from cars, and gives children the opportunity to learn road safety skills.

To join in Ride2School visit www.ride2school.com.au or contact Council’s Walking School Bus Officers Andrea Eales or Karleen Joss-Knight on 9599 4438.