SCHOOLS across Bournemouth Christchurch and Poole have received £212,000 to help improve facilities for students and staff and encourage active travel to and from school.

The funding has helped to build a wide range of new facilities at the schools such as new lockable bike and scooter racks, electric bike chargers, changing and locker facilities and static tyre pumps.

Cllr Nicola Greene, BCP Council’s portfolio holder for education said: “Many schools are really getting behind the active travel message, which is great news. We all know that traffic increases during term time so encouraging more pupils to cycle, walk or scoot to school means fewer cars and less congestion on our roads. It also means that more pupils are getting regular daily exercise, helping in the fight against childhood obesity.”

Haymoor Junior School in Canford Heath used its grant to fund new secure bike and scooter stands, e-bike chargers and a new staff shower said:

Head of School Lucy Waterhouse said: “We have got a lot more children coming in on bikes and scooters now that we have these new facilities.

“We have even got a couple more teachers cycling in! We do promote active travel to our students and reward them with stickers and badges if they cycle, walk or scoot into school.

“But we also do this because we know it makes a big impact on their performance in the classroom.”

Bailey, a student at Haymoor added: “I enjoy cycling. It only takes me five to 10 minutes to get to school but I like getting exercise, quite a lot.

“The old bike racks were getting rusty with bits of plastic flaking off, so the new racks are much nicer.”

Here is a breakdown of the schools that have benefited from the funding and the new facilities installed on their premises:

• Ad Astra Infant School - new cycle racks and e-bike charging points

• Avonbourne Boys’ and Girls’ Academies – a new bike cover on their existing bike shelter

• Avonwood Primary – expanded provision for bike and scooter storage

• Canford Heath Infants - the installation of new adult bike racks, bike and scooter racks for children and an e-bike charging point

• Canford Heath Junior School – renovation work to current staff shower facilities and the installation of a e-bike charging point

• Hamworthy Park Junior School/Twin Sails Infant School – additional bike and scooter storage facilities and the inclusion of a bike repair station

• Haymoor Junior School – refurbishment to their shower room and the fitting of a new bike shed and e-bike charging point

• Highcliffe School – enlarge staff bike facility and make permanent year 7 bike compound

• Kingsleigh Primary – replace PVC sheet on current cycle pods and the installation of two new e-bike charging points

• Longfleet (CofE) Primary School – create changing area with lockers and drying facilities and set up covered bike rack area

• Poole High School – installation of additional bike storage facilities

• Queens Park Infants School – a new covered, secured school and cycle structure for students and staff was set up

• St Edwards School – expand the school provision for bike storage

• St Katharine’s Church of England (VA) Primary School – creation of new scooter storage, a new bike storage for adults and staff, plus the installation of a new adult’s shower room, e-bike charging pint and a cycle repair stand

• St Peter’s Catholic Primary School – building of additional bike and scooter storage and drying facilities

• St Peters School - installation of new bike maintenance stand, cycle wash station, repair station and drying facilities

• St James’ C of E Primary Academy – new cycle shelter set up for students and repairs carried out to staff cycle shelter

• The Bourne Academy - installation of 140 new lockers

• The Grange School – additional cycle rack installed

• Twynham School - the creation of a new bike rack to be used by students and staff