Two award-winning green travel initiatives are being merged to create a new super scheme.

The very best of Walk on Wednesday (WoW) and Active Bug will be amalgamating next academic year to create Super WoW!

Incorporating the strongest elements of both schemes, schools have until the end of July to sign up for Super WoW!

As a special welcome gift, any school which joins will receive 30 free tickets to Silver Blades Ice Skating Rink, Gillingham to reward the class that is top for walking to school.

KM Walk to School has operated Walk on Wednesday (WoW) and Active Bug for a decade, but following consultations with head teachers, decided to amalgamate the schemes.

Last year KM Walk to School initiatives removed more than a quarter million school run car journeys and saw a reduction in harmful carbon dioxide emissions equivalent to 10 times the weight of Big Ben.

Children will be provided with regular incentives to keep them engaged with their green travel during the school year including stickers, trophies and prizes such as great days out.

The scheme's strengths include teaching child vital road safety skills and supporting school councils to take the lead on promoting walking, cycling, scooter use and 'park and stride'.

Schools involved with Super WoW! will also see the benefit of more alert pupils in the classroom, plus significantly safer school gates and reductions in roadside parking, and noise and air pollution.

Simon Dolby, chief executive of the KM Charity Team which organises the green travel schemes, said: “We are extremely excited to unveil Super WoW! and are hoping to see many schools either renew their walk to school schemes during 2016 / 2017, or sign up for the first time. With the additional perk of a classroom's worth of ice skating vouchers, pupils will be keen from the get-go to hit the pavements and walk, cycle, or scooter to school!"

KM Walk to School has won five international Green Apple Environment Awards in the last 10 years, as well as receiving The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2005.

KM Walk to School is led by a collective partnership including Kent County Council, Medway Council and the KM Group. Organisations supporting the services include Specsavers, Safer Kent, Eurostar, Golding Homes, Countrystyle Recycling, Southern Water, Leeds Castle, Three R’s Teacher Recruitment, Orbit South, Whitefriars Canterbury, Maidstone Council, Ashford Borough Council, and Bexley Council.

The partnership operates green travel initiatives for schools including parent-led walking buses, the new Super WoW! scheme, and Green Footsteps.

For more information about KM Walk to School, and to find out how your school can get involved, visit www.kmwalktoschool.co.uk