Malton School pupils who devised a congestion-busting travel plan have been rewarded for their ideas - and offered a chance to pitch their plan against other travel schemes across the country.

Emily Moffat, 12, Daniel Cohen, 12, and Daniel Pratt, 11, all Year Seven pupils at Malton School, have been short-listed as finalists in the RAC's national Grass Routes competition.

The trio were yesterday presented with a mountain bike and a cycle helmet, along with a laptop computer and mapping software for their school's geography department, by RAC patrolman Nick Samuels.

The team will go forward to the national final to be held in London in October when they will present their ideas to a panel of traffic and transport experts and battle it out for the title of Grass Routes winner 2002-2003.

Mr Samuels said: "It's great to see children not only taking the issue of road safety seriously, but also acting to change the problems in their area.

"Road safety is such a key issue for children of this age and, with the RAC's support, these pupils could make a real difference. Many of the entries were of a high standard but Emily, Daniel and Daniel's entry stood out for their attention to detail, the thought that had gone into identifying hazards on their routes to school and the proactive way they suggested solutions."

Nicola Thorpe, business studies and geography teacher at the school, said: "We're delighted to have been considered as a finalist for this award and hope to implement some of their suggestions."

Two thousand schools registered for a Grass Routes resource pack to develop a School Travel plan aimed at reducing congestion and improving road safety around their school.

The commended plan by the students at Malton School focused on encouraging safer and more environmentally- friendly means of travelling to school.

Updated: 10:25 Thursday, July 17, 2003