Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to promote (a) walking buses and (b) cycling as means of transport to and from school.

The Department for Transport is making £225 million available to local authorities this financial year for urgent measures to make it easier for people to walk and cycle for all short journeys, including to school.

The Department has also provided significant amounts of funding to keep buses running to serve those who rely on them. On 3 April, the Government announced £397 million of support for bus services, and on 23 May the Secretary of State announced a further £254 million to help increase bus services?across England?as we begin to?re-open?our economy.

The Department for Education has produced guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings. This guidance sets out that schools should ‘ensure parents and young people are aware of recommendations on transport to and from education or childcare settings’ and encourage parents and children and young people ‘to walk or cycle to their education setting where possible’.

A few months ago we announced that Bikeability training for schoolchildren would be expanded to cover all children nationwide.