- Enfield’s Youth Travel Ambassadors pitched their commuting ideas to a specialist panel
- The expert panel advised the students and are helping them to make their ideas a reality
- The YTA students focused on alleviating travel congestion, building confidence and keeping active
Enfield schools triumphed in a tough Dragon’s Den style project where they were tasked to come up with a solution to transport issues in the community.
The Campaign Junction 2017, led by Enfield’s Youth Travel Ambassadors (YTA) was held at The Dugdale Centre on 21 February, where students from Enfield County High School, St. Ignatius College, St. Anne’s Catholic High School for Girls and Kingsmead School all pitched their ideas to a tough panel of judges from Transport for London and Enfield Council.
This year, Enfield’s YTA students pitched a number of ideas to a specialist panel which then offered advice and support. The panel members were so impressed they awarded each team the maximum £250 in funding to enable the teams to make their ideas a reality.
All across the country, YTAs are delivering campaigns to encourage more walking and cycling to school, to help share key road safety messages, promote responsible behaviour on the travel network, and to help give people the skills and confidence to travel safely and independently.
Nationally over 1,000 students from more than 130 schools are involved and are supported by their schools, borough officers and Transport for London staff.
Enfield Council Cabinet Member for Education, Children’s Services & Protection, Cllr Ayfer Orhan, said, “We are very proud of our wonderful students for coming up with these innovative, imaginative ideas which importantly can be implemented with some help and guidance.
“All the school teams have identified issues with transportation and have come up with excellent solutions to alleviate issues associated with their daily commute.”
Enfield County School students’ campaign looked at overcrowding on buses. They want to promote the health, social and environmental benefits of walking.
St. Anne’s School students also looked at overcrowding on buses and are designing a bespoke walking app with the help of their ICT Department. Kingsmead School want to give more students the option to cycle to school.
They also plan to trial a priority bus boarding scheme using bespoke wristbands whereby students who live further away have first priority to get on buses. St Ignatius College are making a film to use in citizenship workshops and assemblies.
They also aim to improve bus driver/student relations and are promoting personal safety while walking to and from school.
Enfield Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Daniel Anderson, said: “Enfield Council is committed to improving road safety and travel. It is wonderful our local school children and travel ambassadors will have a say in helping their communities travel more safely and effectively through the borough.”
Youth Travel Ambassador Co-ordinator at Transport for London, Michael Kitchen, congratulated all the students on contributing to a “safer, greener, healthier and happier transport future”.
