As the UK enters Walk to School Week, Regtransfers discover that trading in wheels for walking could lead you to get active as well as savings equal to three years of a Netflix subscription.
From 20th May to 24th May, schools across the UK will celebrate Walk to School Week – an event organised by Living Streets (The Pedestrians’ Association) that encourages students, parents, and communities to experience the benefits of walking to school. One such benefit is a reduction on fuel spend.
In England, the average school commute spans approximately two and a half miles. Despite various transport options, 47% of students currently walk to school, revealing a strong preference for pedestrian travel already. However, road safety concerns continue to be a significant barrier for increasing this number, with many parents calling for improved traffic conditions to facilitate safer walking routes.
Walk to School Week is all about highlighting the benefits of ditching the morning drive, and opting for a walk not only supports physical health but also offers considerable financial savings.
Focusing on the example of a “round trip” of two and a half miles, with the driver returning home after each trip to school and with a fuel cost of £1.50, this equates to costs of £2.18 per day.
So, when you consider how much you could save during Walk To School Week, the answer is “not much”. However, if we look at the whole year, it’s worth bearing in mind that the UK school year runs for at least 190 days.
Add to that additional costs of maintaining a car that sees daily use, and in our example, then, the annual cost of taking the school run by car reaches, at the very least, £414.20 – that’s the equivalent of 37 months (three years) of a standard Netflix subscription, paid on a monthly basis.
By walking to school, families can reduce expenses significantly while promoting a healthier, more active lifestyle. What’s more, frequent car use for short trips can actually have a negative impact on a vehicle’s lifespan, whilst also contributing to increased maintenance costs.
Reducing car journeys during the school run can alleviate local traffic congestion and decrease vehicle emissions, enhancing air quality and public health. Walking fosters a sense of community, providing opportunities for social interactions and reducing the likelihood of accidents associated with heavy traffic conditions.
Addressing some of the most common reasons one might avoid walking to school, Regtransfers CEO Mark Trimbee offers the following advice: “If the walk to school is too much for younger children – or simply too far in general – consider driving part-way and walking the rest. If you feel like you don’t have enough time in the morning, consider starting your day and setting off a little earlier if you can. And, if you’re worried about road safety, consider that if everyone jumps on the “trend” of walking to school, the roads will be naturally less congested. This Walk To School Week, let’s not ask ‘Why should we?’, but rather ‘What’s stopping us?’”.
