Hedgehog helps walking initiaitve

3:44pm Saturday 17th May 2008

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A NORTH-EAST town has enlisted the help of a new addition to help get to grips with the prickly issue of congestion on the roads.

Hartley the Hedgehog, the newest member of Hartlepool Council's sustainable travel team, is urging families across the town to become less reliant on their cars.

He has issued a rallying cry ahead of Walk to School Week, which starts on Monday, in a bid to get more children out of cars and on their feet when going to school.

As the team's new mascot, Hartley will front its many initiatives to encourage people to adopt alternative forms of travel and promote the health and environmental benefits associated with activities, such as walking and cycling.

Joanne Taylor, the council's travel plan assistant, said: "We are delighted to welcome Hartley and we hope that he will help to raise the profile of our work in the field of sustainable travel.

"Walk to School Week, which takes place twice a year, offers us a great opportunity to get across some key messages and we hope that parents and carers will give their support by walking all or part of the way to school with their children, both (this) week and beyond."

All nursery and primary schools in the town have been given posters and class survey sheets to promote the week, as well as information packs containing ideas for classroom activities.

A number of schools will also host performances of a play entitled What If It Rains? by Quantum Theatre, which looks at walking from a scientific angle and examines the health and environmental benefits to be gained from cutting car journeys.