Pupils from Portsmouth primary schools taking part in a School Streets trial will have fun by earning rewards while enjoying safer, healthier routes to and from school, with help from a digital challenge led by the Pompey Monsters.
To make journeys to school exciting and rewarding, parents and carers whose children attend schools taking part in phase one of Portsmouth's School Streets trial, are invited to download the Go Jauntly app and select the free Pompey Monsters Stomp to School Challenge.
Pupils attending St Jude's C of E Primary School were the first to try out the new, fun, seven week digital challenge when their School Streets trial launched on Monday 13 September. Bramble Infant School and Nursery will join the trial from 20 September.
Working in partnership with app developer, Go Jauntly, Portsmouth City Council has given the popular Pompey Monsters Walk to School Challenge an exciting digital facelift. Monsters Stomper, Wheels, Eagle Eyes, Scoot, Chatter Natter and Neon have encouraged hundreds of Portsmouth school children to choose healthier, safer, journeys to school since the original challenge launched in 2017. Air quality monster, Breezy, will help teach children about the importance of reducing trips by car to deliver cleaner air around schools.
Stomper, the leader of the Pompey Monsters, encourages pupils to stomp (walk, cycle or scoot) to and from school at least three times a week during the seven week challenge. Children who take part will earn in-app challenge badges, and a different Pompey Monster keyring to collect from their school at the end of every week.
To take part in the challenge, participating parents and carers can download the free, invite-only challenge from app developers 'Go Jauntly' by downloading the Go Jauntly app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, on their smartphone. Up to two trusted adults who regularly accompany children to and from school can access the app to make sure each child benefits from continuity and does not miss out on any rewards.
As well as encouraging children to be more active, the challenge supports the School Streets trial by helping to reduce the number of children being dropped off and collected by car. Described as 'a revolution at the school gates' School Streets help to keep the school gates clear of vehicles, improve road safety by reducing motorised traffic around the school and help to develop cleaner air to improve the health of the whole school community and their neighbours.
Cllr Lynne Stagg, Cabinet Member for Traffic and Transportation, said "It's fantastic to be able to support pupils taking part in the School Streets trials with the Stomp to School Challenge app. The Pompey Monsters have always been incredibly popular so I'm sure that digital Stomper and his friends will go down a storm with the children.
"After the success of this summer's taster days at both of the phase one schools, I'm optimistic that the School Streets trial will create healthier, safer routes with less traffic around the schools. The first schools will help to pave the way for a smooth introduction to the trial for College Park Infant School and Northern Parade Schools, who join phase two between February and April next year."
Hana Sutch, Go Jauntly's CEO and co-founder, said "Portsmouth is a fantastic, walkable city and we feel privileged to be able to work with Portsmouth City Council on the Pompey Monster Stomp to School Challenge project. It’s so important to reconsider short car trips because of the benefits active travel brings, including reducing congestion, air pollution and helping to keep people healthier through physical activity."
Anyone interested in a School Street in their area should contact their local school. Head teachers can then work with the council and walking and cycling charity, Sustrans, to support the launch of a School Street for their local community.
To find out more about the Pompey Monsters Stomp to School Challenge on the Go Jauntly app, visit travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/
Participants are reminded that private e-scooters are illegal on public roads and rental e-scooters are only for one person, 18 years or over, who must hold at least a provisional licence.
