The UK’s first Sustainable Travel Education Toolkit saw a successful launch on Wednesday the 12th of October at the National Railway Museum in York, the Community Education Network and CrossCountry and saw representatives in attendance from Community Rail Network, CrossCountry and the National Railway Museum alongside the pupils from local community school Hempland Primary.

The production of the toolkit has seen six months of work to produce groundbreaking materials by the Community Rail Education Network and CrossCountry with further support provided by the Community Rail Network and the Decarbon8 Network. The exciting new material works in line with the national curriculum and will support the teaching of sustainable travel to KS2 students.

A move to greener transport is now seen as a vital part of the solution for the climate emergency with sustainability being a subject matter which needs to be more visible in order to encourage people to move to more sustainable modes of travel.

The resources are aimed at KS2 students and will build conversation topics based around sustainability at home and how students can influence wider family and friends to make the move to more sustainable transport. 

The launch event provided those who attended a great opportunity to experience how the toolkit can be used within an education environment and its potential for real impact. 

The Sustainable Travel Education Toolkit is free and can be downloaded via the Community Rail Network website and features: 

• Daffnee Green – Travel With the Green Team Video: The film features all kinds of facts and figures about more sustainable travel and includes the best part of travelling by train with Daffnee the Daphne flower which is a character who talks you through her exciting train journey.

• Travel with the Green Team – Activity Sheet: This fun-filled pack features activities for children and also provides the benefits of travelling sustainably. The sheets provide the chance to draw your own green superhero and find the things that protect the planet on the station as Daffnee asks important questions about what’s best for our planet.
• Sustainability with Daffnee Green – Teaching Presentation: This slideshow presentation is perfect for use within schools and also for groups providing an opportunity to chat through the key lessons about sustainability and how everyone can travel greener. This resource also features a pledge card which can be adapted to each child’s pledge.

Jools Townsend, Chief Executive of Community Rail Network, said: “We’re excited to be part of the launch of the UK’s first ever sustainable travel education toolkit, which will engage school children and families across the country on this crucial issue.

“Transport is now the biggest contributor of UK greenhouse emissions, so we face a pressing challenge to decarbonise the way we get around, for the sake of future generations, plus our communities can benefit now from reduced traffic and pollution.

“Rail, combined with buses, walking, cycling, and shared mobility, provides a huge part of the solution: shifting as many journeys as we can onto these modes, breaking down green travel barriers, and reducing car use, is vital. Involving children and young people in this change, we can also empower them to access the opportunities they want while helping to shape a greener, healthier, more inclusive future.”

Karen Bennett, Chair of Community Rail Education Network said: “What a great launch, the children from Hempland Primary school engaged fantastically with the sustainable travel kit, they loved Daffnee and there were many conversations about how we can all change our behaviours to help protect the environment.

“Following this great day, I’m looking forward to seeing the toolkit in the community, sharing the story of Daffnee and educating the next generation on how using the rail network is more sustainable and benefits everyone.

“It’s not about changing everything you do, but if everyone makes small steps then we can make a big difference together.”

 Ben Simkin, Regional Director for Cross Country Trains said: “It is fitting that here in York- home of the world’s railway museum – we are bringing to the forefront the importance of sustainable travel when the National Railway Museum are also delivering on an ambition to get people thinking about the future, together with maintaining an important role in honouring our railway’s past.

“Sustainability is important to CrossCountry as we recognise that Britain’s railways play an integral part in delivering sustainable transport; therefore, we need to work together to adopt sustainability as a fundamental component of all railway businesses.

“One of our key objectives has been to work continuously to reduce our carbon footprint, and the toolkit will be just another way for us to support others in doing the same.

“The launch of this toolkit combines our objectives to be more sustainable and working alongside communities that stretch across the length and breadth of our network.

“I look forward to seeing the success of the UK’s first sustainable travel education toolkit in the months and years to come.”