Children taking part in Inspire Schools’ green-travel scheme Active Wow achieved a stunning 640,000 car-free journeys this academic year, taking 304,000 vehicles off the road.

The figures, which represent a 30,000-journey increase on the previous year, were revealed during a celebratory event at Leeds Castle.

They mean Inspire Schools has now achieved more than seven million green-travel journeys in its 19-year history.

Active Wow encourages families to leave the car at home for the school run and make the journey by walking or cycling instead.

Monthly inter-school green-travel challenges award winning classes tickets to leisure attractions or visits by storytellers.

High-achieving Active Wow schools from Kent, Medway and Bexley were joined at the celebrations by representatives of business and local authorities supporting the scheme.

Maidstone Borough Council Cllr Derek Mortimer said: “It’s an exceptional campaign. We fully support it in Maidstone. We’re trying to get more people off the roads and keep people fitter, and we want to get more and more children walking to school.”

And James Sutton of Medway Council praised Active Wow’s role in educating children about congestion, road safety and active lifestyles.

Apart from Maidstone and Medway councils, Active Wow is supported by White’s Transport, Ashford International Hotel, Orbit, Volker Highways, Countrystyle Recycling, Golding Vision, Specsavers, Eurostar, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, and Kent, Bexley and Ashford councils.

See kmwalktoschool.co.uk or contact Kathy Beel at KBeel@inspireschools.org.uk or Ruth Lapka at RLapka@ inspireschools.org.uk to find out more.

And watch a video about the celebrations here: