A SCHOOL has launched a new ‘Park and Stride’ scheme encouraging parents to park further from school and walk in with their children.

Hatch Warren Infant School began the new scheme to help reduce the number of cars parked outside the school.

On Friday, 19 October pupils from the Infant School along with pupils from Hatch Warren Junior School met in the designated Park and Stride car park, The Portsmouth Arms, to walk to school.

They were joined by Basil, the Walk to School bird from the county-wide My Journey campaign.

A school spokesperson said: “Both pupils and staff enjoyed walking together and hopefully this will encourage pupils and their parents to walk in the future which will help create a safer school journey.”

This new scheme follows the introduction of special signs to promote road safety at both schools installed in September.