Pupils, staff and parents enthusiastically supported Alternative Travel Day by walking, cycling, car sharing or travelling by bus and train.

Many arrived on foot or bike from as far afield as Westbury, Box, Bradford-on-Avon, Saltford or travelled across the city from Lansdown, Bear Flat and Batheaston.

To accommodate the numbers who cycled the middle entrance car park was turned into a bike park. For those who walked or cycled a breakfast was provided by the catering department in the Willett Hall.

Many pupils teamed up to car share or used free bus ‘taster' passes and additional pick up points on school coaches run by FareSaver, First and JVA Travel especially for Alternative Travel Day.

Others came by train from Chippenham and Swindon then caught the School station shuttle bus to school, or arranged to be dropped off at the King Edward's Bathampton playing fields or at a friend's house on the outskirts of Bath, to cycle or walk the last part of their journey.

A couple of staff caught a train from Frome to Bradford on Avon then cycled with a group of pupils, parents and staff to school.

The most comical arrival at school was a pantomime horse containing two teachers from the Art Department, who then joined the long breakfast queue.

At the Junior School, pupils walked from as far away as Winsley and Southstoke. The children calculated that over 150 miles were walked in total. Pupils also cycled, the furthest from Wellow and South Wraxall. The pupils worked out every form saved between 5 – 6 kg of CO², the equivalent of 75 2-litre bottles full of CO² per pupil.

The Pre-Prep Walk to School day on Wednesday 17^th June turned into a walk, cycle, scooter, roller skate or skateboard to school day. Head Mrs Jayne Gilbert commented:

“I was thrilled to see so many children walking, scooting and cycling into school. There were certainly far fewer cars than usual in the car park. The feedback from parents has been extremely positive. We would very much like to build on this initiative next term.”

Speaking about the success of KES Travel Week and Alternative Travel Day, Second Master Michael Horrocks-Taylor said:

“I am delighted that so many pupils, parents and staff at the Senior, Junior and Pre-Prep schools have made such an effort to travel to school in more environmentally sensitive ways during the week. Today there was a real sense of excitement and achievement. I am particularly grateful to Faresaver, First and JVA Travel for supporting Alternative Travel Day with free ‘taster' bus passes and providing extra pick up points along their bus routes.”

“KES Travel Week is the first major initiative of the revitalised school Travel Plan Working Group, which comprises a very committed and select group of pupils, staff, parents, a school neighbour and a local councillor. The success of the week suggests that there is scope for reducing the impact of the school run on congestion in Bath and the wider environmental effects, and we are looking forward to playing a constructive part in this process through future initiatives.”