7 March 2006
Media Advisory
Green Co-Leader to join "walking school bus"
Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons will walk to school with a number of children from Edendale Primary School
tomorrow as part of a "walking school bus".
The event is part of Feet First - Walk to School Week, which is running from 6 - 10 March to promote the benefits gained
from regular walking to and from school. These benefits include saving on the cost of petrol, reduced energy use and
harmful emissions from cars, improved fitness, health and social interaction for children and their caregivers, and
reduced congestion at the school gate.
EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority), Land Transport New Zealand, selected city councils, and Sanitarium
are supporting the week's events.
"Walking to school is a great way to keep children healthy and active, and it also helps to reduce fuel consumption and
keep cars off the road when they don't need to be there. Walking in a 'bus' is a safe, social way to do this, and so for
all these reasons I'm very happy to be part of this event at Edendale.
"Cars taking children to school are responsible for approximately 40 percent of peak hour congestion in Auckland. It is
very noticeable how much more freely the traffic flows in school holidays. Walking buses are a much cheaper and
healthier way of reducing congestion for everyone than building new motorways in Auckland," Ms Fitzsimons says.
ENDS