AN Edgware primary school has been awarded a top prize for its school travel plan.

Staff and pupils at Edgware Infant School, in High Street, won the platinum STAR (Sustainable Travel Accredited and Recognised) award for organising the best scheme in the north west London region.

The school had previously been the first in the borough to reach gold STAR, or “outstanding”, status for its work to encourage students, teachers and parents to get involved in sustainable travel initiatives.

Travel plans are drawn up with support from Barnet Council and Transport for London to make it safer and more attractive for pupils and parents to walk or cycle into school.

They also have to look at ways of improving road safety education and travel awareness.

Another 65 of the borough's schools were presented with bronze and silver STAR awards at the recent School Travel Plan Accreditation Ceremony, and Councillor Brian Coleman, cabinet member for environment, said it showed their “commitment to greener, healthier travel”.

He said: “The students, teachers and parents of Edgware Infants should be very proud of their achievement in becoming the first school in the borough to receive the gold award.

“The door is now open for other schools to develop their travel plans further so they can join Edgware in the ranks of the gold award winners.”

The council also announced school travel plans had helped reduce single household cars on the school run by 12 per cent and there had been on an average eight per cent increase in people walking all or part of the way to school.