Children share vision for greener transport

A nationwide primary school competition to design a logo demonstrating Scotland’s sustainable travel future has concluded.

From over 300 entries across Scotland, Sarah Tokou (P7) from St Mary’s Primary School in Largs was successful with her poster encouraging people to walk, cycle and bus.

(Sarah Tokou)

Jack Robinson (P5) from Whitehirst Primary in Kilwinning and Isla Jamieson (P6) from Tarbolton Primary were also shortlisted for their creative posters promoting walking and cycling.

(Jack Robinson)

(Isla Jamieson)

Ahead of COP26, the competition aimed to engage young people by making them aware of the impact that car journeys have on emission levels. The poster competition then aimed to respond to this topic and to help raise awareness of the steps we can all take to reduce our transport emissions by choosing more active and sustainable modes of transport.

The selection panel was comprised of Road Safety Scotland’s Learning Advisory Group, the Climate Assembly’s Children’s Parliament and Active Nation Commissioner for Scotland, Lee Craigie.

The Scottish Government committed through the Climate Change Plan Update to reduce car kilometres by 20% by 2030. A route map to achieving this target will be published featuring the winning design by Sarah Tokou. In addition, Sarah’s entire class from St Mary’s Primary will benefit from a cycling experience with Cycling Scotland thanks to her efforts, with the creators of other shortlisted entries receiving goodie packs from the Junior Road Safety Officer Network.

Minister for Transport Graeme Dey said:

“I’m pleased to have seen so many brilliant entries promoting sustainable transport from primary schools across the country. It’s great that our children are learning about climate change, learning about COP26 and learning about the role we can all play in reducing our emissions.

“Scotland has a world leading ambition to reduce car kilometres travelled by 20% by 2030. This is not a target we’ve considered lightly. Shifting people away from private car trips and towards active and sustainable travel is essential to meeting our climate targets and to secure a habitable planet for future generations. That’s why it’s so fitting that the winning poster design features the vision of future generations and I’m delighted that Sarah’s design, which really captures our sustainable travel hierarchy, will feature as part of the Scottish Government’s forthcoming route map publication.”

Active Nation Commissioner Lee Craigie said:

“In my experience, it’s not our kids who need educating on the subject of decreasing vehicle emissions and increasing levels of physical activity. The children who have produced these imaginative works of art have done far more than take part in competition to create a poster. They’ve given us simple, elegant and engaging solutions to problems that, as adults, we love to over-complicate with technological innovation and policy conversations. My sincere thanks go to these young people for sharing their messages with us at a time when it must feel like shouting into the void. We are listening! Please keep it up!”