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Northumberland County Council has worked with 35 schools on travel plans to help them unlock funding from the Department for Education & Skills and Department for Transport.

The blueprints look at ways to reduce the number of car trips parents make to school, encourage more walking and cycling and improve safety on the journey to school.

The level of funding ranges from over £13,000 for Cramlington High School to £5,700 for St Mary's Church of England Middle School in Tynedale.

Councillor John Smith, Executive Member for Highways and Operations, said:
"It is great news that so many schools are to benefit from extra funding."

Sarah Brierley, Travel Plan co-ordinator, said:
"There is more awareness than ever about the carbon footprint and the traffic dangers caused by the daily school run.

"But there needs to be safe alternatives in place. We are working closely with schools to look at ways to increase more environmentally friendly means of travel, such as walk to school buses.

"This money will go a long way to help make routes to school safer and encourage the healthy aspects of walking or cycling."

The funding can be used by the schools to make improvements to the school site to meet the aims of their travel plan. It can include cycle storage, waiting shelters, CCTV, lighting and improvements to paths within the school grounds.

The schools have been supported by Northumberland County Council's Travel Plan Team who provide advice and guidance on all aspects of producing a school travel plan.

The schools have also identified other projects that they would like to implement as part of their school travel plan. These projects include walking buses, park and stride schemes and road safety education.