Free scooters help kids be active and do their bit for the planet on way to school

Free scooters help kids be active and do their bit for the planet on way to school

Year 1 pupils at RL Hughes Primary School in Ashton have been learning to scoot safely

Primary school pupils are being encouraged to scoot to school to boost their health and the environment.

Wigan Council’s Be Well service has teamed with Micro Scooters UK (external link) to provide local schools with free kids scooters and helmets, with the aim of promoting scooting as a fun, eco-friendly alternative to travelling by car.

No fewer than 20 Wigan Borough primary schools have already benefited from Scootability training this year – and each will now get two scooter and helmet packs worth £100 apiece for use in playgrounds or scoot to school schemes.

Councillor Jenny Bullen, cabinet portfolio holder for children and families, said: “It’s so important for children to be physically active, and the daily commute to school is a good opportunity to introduce more movement into their routine.

“Scooting makes the journey to and from school fun, and also benefits the environment by cutting fuel emissions – helping us create greener, cleaner communities.

“But not everyone has access to a scooter, so the partnership between Be Well and Micro Scooters UK will help encourage more families to choose active travel where possible.”

Delivered in partnership with leading scooter skills coaching provider Team Rubicon, Be Well’s Scootability training helps children in Years 1-3 learn important safety habits and develop the skills and knowledge they need to use scooters as a means of active travel.

The initiative is supported by funding from Transport for Greater Manchester, with schools selected based on their location and proximity to Bee Network infrastructure schemes.

Twelve priority schools were involved in a successful trial back in May, and a further eight have already taken part in sessions this academic year.

Micro Scooters UK (external link) has donated 20 scooter and helmet packs towards those schools – plus another 16 for the council’s Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, which supports low income families during the school holidays.

Ben Gibson, managing director at Micro Scooters UK, said: “At Micro Scooters, we’ve always believed in getting kids outdoors and moving safely.

“Through our partnership with Wigan Council's Be Well team, we’re able to offer scooters to children who may not have access to them, while teaching essential safety skills.”

RL Hughes Primary School in Ashton-in-Makerfield are among those to have benefited so far.

Headteacher Monica Middlehurst said: “The children in Year 1 had a fantastic time during their Scootability training. The sessions were engaging, interactive and fun and the children benefitted from learning key skills such as balance, signalling and hazard awareness.

“We’re really pleased with our new scooters and helmets and we’ll certainly be putting them to good use!”