To ask the Minister for Regional Development what plans he has to fund locally based support to ensure children can walk and cycle safely to their school, similar to the Local Authority School Travel Co-ordinators that are appointed by local authorities in the rest of the UK.

My Department’s Roads Service has two School Travel Plan Co-ordinators, who develop the Travelwise Safer Routes to Schools initiative in schools across the North. This initiative aims to tackle the problems associated with the ‘School Run’ by promoting more sustainable modes of travel, including walking and cycling, for the journey to and from school. The Travelwise Safer Routes to School Programme is assisted by the provision of safety zones outside schools and the installation of cycle shelters.

Since 2004, the Safer Routes to Schools message has been promoted to some 151 schools involving approximately 45,000 pupils and their parents.