Tackling Transport - Little Leagues Scheme

Q&A

What is Tackling Transport?

Tackling Transport is a scheme aimed at rewarding children for walking or cycling all or at least some of the way to their Little League ground each week. It forms part of the wider Smarter Travel Sutton (STS) project, a three year initiative aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the borough by up to 10%.

Who can sign up to the Tackling Transport scheme?

The scheme is open to all footballers who play in Wallington, West Sutton, Sutton or Carshalton Little League.

How will footballers and their parents/carers benefit from the Tackling Transport scheme?

Reducing the number of car arrivals will help to create a safer environment around the Little League ground for footballers and their parents/carers. It could be said that walking or cycling all or some of the way to the ground is an opportunity for footballers to spend some quality time with their friends and family. It also eliminates any stress associated with finding a parking space at the ground! For footballers the scheme provides the opportunity to ‘earn’ prizes the more they walk or cycle to the ground. Active travel to and from games can also contribute towards a pre-match warm up and warm down and help reduce the likelihood of an injury.

How exactly will the scheme work?

Each child will be given the opportunity to collect a sticker each week providing they walk or cycle a specified distance to their Little League club. There will be 3 sets of 6 stickers to collect, each representing a different prize level – Bronze, Silver and Gold. Sticker booklets will be provided at the start of the season with 3 tear-off postcards for each level. Levels are achieved each time a postcard is filled with a set of 6 stickers. Children can then send their completed postcards off to claim a prize for each level, which will increase in value for every level achieved. Those completing every prize level will be entered into a grand draw to win 4 tickets to the 2009 FA Community Shield.

How can footballers register for the scheme?

To register your child or children for the scheme, please complete the enclosed registration card and return to the address provided. Alternatively, bring the card along to the Move it at the Manor festival on July 13th and pick up a free goodie bag at the Tackling Transport stand. More information on this festival can be found on the enclosed flyer.

When will the scheme be run?

Footballers can start collecting stickers on the second week of the new Little League season. Sticker books will be given out in the first week of the new season to footballers who have registered for the scheme. It will run throughout the season up until March 2009. This means that footballers will have 25 weekends to collect a maximum of 18 weekly stickers.

What if footballers live beyond a suitable walking or cycling distance from their Little League club?

It is recognised that it may not be practical to walk or cycle all the way to the Little League ground. We will therefore identify an ‘exclusion zone’ around each ground representing a 10 minute walk from the zone boundary. Footballers will be able to qualify for stickers as long as they have walked or cycled from the edge of this zone. Those living within the zone will also be able to qualify for stickers providing they walk or cycle. Maps will be included with each sticker booklet to show where the exclusion zone will operate.

Do similar schemes exist?

Similar schemes exist in schools on a local and national level. WoW (Walk on Wednesdays) is a national scheme run at schools, which rewards pupils who walk once a week with a collectable metal badge. Over the last 3 years the scheme has seen a 30% increase in pupils regularly walking to school in London boroughs with similar results elsewhere in the county. Go Bike is a scheme which operates in a number of Sutton schools, which rewards pupils for cycling to school on a regular basis. Go Bike schools have seen an increase in cycling levels since the scheme was launched in 2007.

What is Smarter Travel Sutton doing to make it easier and safer to walk and cycle to my Little League club?

Smarter Travel Sutton is offering free cycle training to families who want to learn how to cycle more confidently. Simply call 020 8770 6455 to book a session. New cycle parking has been installed in all Little League parks and other locations throughout the borough.

Walking and cycling advice and journey planners can be found at www.smartertravelsutton.org