Kirklees Council’s Road Safety and Public Health teams celebrate award recognition

Kirklees Council’s Road Safety and Public Health teams are celebrating after becoming joint runners up at the National Modeshift Stars Sustainable Travel Awards.
The team from Road Safety and Public HealthThe team from Road Safety and Public Health
The team from Road Safety and Public Health

The Modeshift National Sustainable Travel Awards recognise Modeshift Members and Partners for their outstanding contributions to increasing levels of sustainable and active travel.

Organisations are invited to nominate initiatives they have been involved with, or that have been undertaken in their area, that demonstrate best practice, innovation, and can prove impact. Nominations may include projects targeting businesses, education establishments or communities.

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The Kirklees team entered the Excellence in Cycling Award, which recognises projects and initiatives developed by individuals and groups to promote and encourage cycling or scooting.

Councillor Naheed Mather, Cabinet Member for Environment: “This was the first time the team have entered a national competition, so that makes their efforts even more of an achievement. I'm really proud of the team and the recognition that has come to Kirklees Council as a result of their efforts. They've done brilliantly.”

The Kirklees team’s entry focussed on its push scooting pilot programme which has being running in some Kirklees schools since this February.

The project introduces pupils to scooting via a fun and engaging experience day gives them the skills they need to scoot confidently and safely to and from school.

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Sally Titherington, Head Teacher at Diamond Wood Academy in Dewsbury said: “I think particularly after lockdown, we realised the need to develop that emotional and physical wellbeing, so scooting has ticked all the boxes”

The team works with schools in Kirklees to encourage parents, students and teachers to shift from using the car on the school run, to more active forms of travel; namely cycling, walking and push scooting.

Not only were the team nominated for this prestigious award, Suzanne Holt, Toni Wood and Priti Gohil were invited to present the key learning points from the project on the main stage at the Modeshift Convention, of which the awards formed part.