PUPILS across North Ayrshire could pick up prizes through finding healthy and sustainable ways to travel to school in May.

Travel Smart Month kicked off last Wednesday at Whitehirst Primary and schools across the area are hoping pupils and families will ditch the cars and either walk, scoot, cycle or get the bus instead.

And to add to the fun this year a series of competitions will take place with some great prizes – including bikes, scooters and family days out – up for grabs.

Russell McCutcheon, Head of Service (Commercial) at North Ayrshire Council said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our young people and their families to try out different ways of getting to and from school. 

“We recognise that the car can sometimes be the only option but when there are times – particularly now when the weather is getting nicer – that you can get to school in a more healthy and sustainable way then why not give it a try?

“Around one third of all car journeys undertaken are less than a mile. The same journey could be cycled in five minutes or walked in 20. If we all swapped one car journey a week we could reduce car traffic levels by 10 per cent.”

Use the #travelsmartNA to share all the activities your school carries out when they take part in Travel Smart month. Also check out@roadsafetyNAC for updates.

As well as the travel aspect of the month there are three competitions taking place.

P1 to P3 – are asked to send in a drawing of their school journey.

P4 and P5 – are to write a poem about the best school journey ever, fact or fiction.

P6 and P7 – are to write a short story, no more than 200 words, about who you would want to travel to school with and why.

The school with the best entries will win a visit from an amazing bike display team. A bike and scooter will also be given away. There will be prizes for the best individual entry and these include a bike / scooter, family entry to Kelburn Country Park, KA Leisure vouchers and vouchers for other family days out.

All competition entries must be received by June 3 and sent to Road Safety Education, 3rd Floor East, Cunninghame House, Irvine, KA12 8EE. Competition will be drawn on 14 June. Contact roadsafety@ north-ayrshire.gov.uk for more information about Travel Smart.