School run traffic ‘bigger climate problem than classrooms’, report finds
The Chair of Sustainable Dorset is urging parents not to leave their engine running when picking up pupils on the school run
Transport linked to the school run is a bigger contributor to carbon emissions than heating and powering school buildings, according to new analysis.
Research by Eco-Schools and Keep Britain Tidy found pupils travelling to school alone account for 21% of a typical school’s carbon footprint, with staff commuting adding a further 12%. By comparison, electricity use contributes around 11%.
When school trips are included, transport makes up about 40% of total school emissions.
That figure is significantly more than the 27% generated by heating and powering buildings combined.
Jennifer Morisetti, Chair of Sustainable Dorset, warned the impact is not just on the climate but also on children’s health.
“Idling produces 150 balloons’ full of emissions in one minute,” she said. “Those emissions, including cyanide and nitrogen oxide, are very concentrated where the car is running, causing a huge amount of pollution where you’ve got young children.”
The findings show that, on average, two in five pupils at participating schools were being driven to school.
Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said schools often focus on recycling but need to tackle transport and energy use to make a real difference.
“To meaningfully address climate change they must focus more on transport, energy use and purchasing decisions,” she said.
The government has set a target for the UK to reach net zero by 2050, and all schools were required to have climate action plans in place by 2025.
To cut emissions, the report recommends installing bike storage, rewarding pupils for walking or cycling, promoting active travel and encouraging staff to car-share.
Ms Morisetti suggested even small changes could help.
“How about having one day a week where we make the effort to walk to school?” she said. “It’s about putting children’s health first, as well as the planet.”