ABOUT US
We're an award winning, parent-led charity that works with families and local authorities to turn the school run into a healthier, more sustainable journey for everyone.
Clear Data
We gather easy-to-understand facts to guide practical action and shape better travel policies
Practical Solutions
From chaperoned minibuses and community cargo bikes to the country's most ambitious School Street, we champion proven ways to make schools journeys safer and more sustainable.
Community Action
We bring people together to improve their school journeys, building a cleaner, healthier future for families.
WHAT DO WE WANT?
We want children to be independent, not car dependent. We want to see infrastructure change and behaviour change that enable walking and cycling to school to be safe. We want to see transport options developed that provide families with convenient and practical options for school journeys that aren't reliant on cars. These include...
safe crossings
CAR-FREE School Streets
safe walking & CYcling routes
20MPH SPeed limits
Controlled parking around schools
staffed bike & WALKING buses
Community cargo bikes
sAFE bike storage for families
MOre SChool BUSES
BETTER public transport
EXPANDED CONGESTION CHARGING
REGULAR dATA Tracking
who we are
Our founders and day to day team members are below. You can find out about our fantastic trustees on the Charity Commission website.
A campaigner, environmental psychologist and ex-journalist, Claire has spent the last five years using her communication skills to campaign and work on cleaner, healthier cities. She lives and works in South East London.
Nicola Pastore
Nicola has 3 young children and became activated to tackle road danger and pollution whilst trying to keep them safe on their short daily walk to school. She has in depth expertise in data analytics having spent over 15 years finance and analysis roles in industry and consulting.
Our Story
When we (Nicola & Claire) first met we both had children at the same primary school. We shared concerns about the high level of traffic around the school, which affected our children's safety and freedom, as well as polluting the air they were breathing in.
And so the obsession with the school run began.
We began a 5 year school street campaign around our local school and programs to encourage active travel. We got stuck in, community organising, running termly bike buses and weekly walking buses. We had awareness-raising stalls at the school summer fair, organised air pollution monitors and active travel obstacle courses.
We became very aware of the huge fluctuation in traffic jams on local roads when nearby private schools weren’t in session, and researched why this might be the case. We found out that the school run is unique, in both the volume of car trips it generates and the tight time frames these happen in. The perfect storm for creating congestion and pollution in cities.
We wanted to share what we'd learned along the way, to help others take shortcuts to improve their school runs. In early 2023 we received funding from the Foundation of Integrated Transport to develop our data dashboard and solutions toolkit. And since then, we've never looked back!
Using our professional backgrounds of data expertise and journalism we run campaigns to raise awareness on the issues around the school run and advocate for change. We support local communities to take action for safer routes to school and through our Cargo Collective program, we are working on turning London into a cargo bike nirvana.
We now have our school street in place, one of the biggest in London, which sits on top of a cycle lane and 7 zebra crossings. It's a joy to behold and has completed transformed the journeys to school for hundreds of families.
We now want every pupil, at every school, to have this experience.
Please join us!
Thank you!
Claire & Nicola
We are supported by:
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