PARENTS will be sent electronic alerts when their kids arrive safely at school in an Australian-first initiative aimed at encouraging more children to walk or cycle.

The technology uses swipe-cards to monitor travel rates among students.

A Melbourne primary school is already trialling the system with more to follow.

The initiative provides students with radio frequency identification cards which they swipe at a unit in the foyer on arrival to record whether they have walked or ridden.

The second stage — due in a fortnight — will involve automatic emails notifying parents when their child has completed a successful journey.

Bicycle Network general manager of behaviour change Tess Allaway, whose organisation is behind the idea, said it was hoped the technology would encourage kids and their families to be more active.

The email alerts aimed to put mum and dads at ease.

“One of the barriers to getting more students walking and riding to school is parental concern around traffic safety,” Ms Allaway said.

“This is a way to try and give them peace of mind that their children have arrived on time as expected.”

The trial, to run at two schools until June 30 next year, will involve about 700 students.

“If it’s successful we hope we will be able to implement it in other schools,” Ms Allaway said.

“It’s completely unique, it’s innovative and there’s a lot of excitement.”

Malvern Valley Primary School principal Gaylene Fehlberg, whose school began using the technology yesterday (FRI), said more than half of the school’s 220 pupils had already signed up.

Each will accrue points for their school house when they walk or ride as an extra incentive to ditch the car.

“They have been champing at the bit to do able to do it,’’ Ms Fehlberg said.

“And it’s building momentum as the kids are seeing it.

“It’s really important that we do encourage kids to get involved and be active.

“It helps their learning but I think the other thing is kids are more and more not allowed to be independent.

“And independence is a really important part of learning.”

Preston’s Bell Primary School will become the second school to use the technology in about a month.

wes.hosking@news.com.au