Suffolk
Roadsafe
Encouraging safe, active and sustainable travel to
school.
The way in which children travel to school can have a great
impact on their lifestyle. Greater numbers of parents taking their
children to and from school by car is contributing to:
- higher levels of exposure to pollution;
- increased congestion around the school; and
- risk to pedestrians and cyclists.
A school travel plan can help to address these problems, by:
- encouraging more walking and cycling;
- improving safety on the school journey; and
- setting out a number of practical ways to reduce the number of
car trips made to a school.
The travel plan aims to raise awareness among pupils and parents
of the harmful effects of increasing car use on children's health,
safety and independence. The travel plan process aims to win
"hearts and minds" by raising awareness of the implications of
travel choice and the benefits of encouraging more sustainable
travel to school.
The school will work together with the travel plan adviser and
other interested parties such as the Police, Suffolk County Council
Education Directorate and the district council to identify ways in
which to overcome the barriers that currently stop parents and
children from walking and cycling to school.
School Travel Plans is a joint initiative backed by the
Department for Children, Schools and families and the
Department for Transport. When the travel plan has been completed,
schools will be awarded a capital grant to purchase items to
support and maintain sustainable travel to school. These may
include secure cycle shelters, parent waiting facilities or cycle
lockers for storage.
There are a large number of varied initiatives that schools can
undertake such as:
- a voluntary car lift share scheme;
- a walking bus;
- cycle training and permit scheme; and
- "park and stride" (parking away from the school at designated
sites and walking the remainder).
Each school will develop a unique action plan of ongoing work
with the ultimate aim of reducing car dependency and increasing the
number of children travelling to school in a healthy and safe
way.
Full details of Suffolk County Council's School Travel Plan
strategy and supporting documents for schools and parents
click here
For more information contact your
Customer Service
Centre.