Sustainable School Travel
Why have a school travel plan?
The recent trend towards increasing car use on the school journey is cause for concern, and can only lead to increased congestion and pollution outside schools, and a decline in our children's health and fitness. The purpose of school travel plans is to reduce car use on the school journey to enable and encourage pupils to walk, cycle or use public transport, and to make the journey safer and more pleasant. By working together on school travel plans, we can help children to grow up healthy and independent, enriching their education and making life better for everyone (DFEE).
But why has there been an increase in car journeys to school? The reasons include parents' concerns about road traffic danger, parents' fears for their child's safety if travelling unaccompanied, the school journey forming part of the journey to work and wider catchment areas of schools. Department for Transport research has shown that many car journeys to school could be made by different modes. For many, there is no alternative but to travel by car, however many children are being driven short distances when they could easily walk or cycle.
School travel plans can assist schools to meet their responsibilities set by central and local government and reduce the impact of congestion outside school gates. They also encourage a change in attitudes, with collective responsibility for tackling the problem for the benefit of all children at the school.
An assessment of a school's travel plan is likely to be included in future OFSTED inspections. The Education Act 2002 requires schools in Walsall to develop a School Travel Plan and Further Education institutes will be required to develop a travel plan through the Company TravelWise initiative. Furthermore from September 2004 Walsall Council will have a Young TransNet webportal, a transport information network for young people, parents, school governors and teachers to assist in the development of school travel plans.
In response to the new duty placed upon Local Authorities under the Education and Inspections Act, Walsall Council has produced a Draft Sustainable Travel to School Strategy (Word 1.3MB) which via consultation and discussion will be translated into a final version. A summarised version of the strategy is also available - view the Walsall's Sustainable Travel to School Strategy - Summary Leaflet 2008 (PDF 1.33MB)
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Walsall
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This page was last updated on 29 June 2009