What is active travel?
Active travel means walking or cycling to school, rather than going by car or by public transport. Not only will active travel support improved levels of physical activity amongst pupils, staff and parents – if embedded within a whole-school approach it can also contribute to better self-esteem, reduced bullying and a positive school ethos. Active travel is a key element within the health promoting school.
Content
- Why isn't active travel more widespread?
- Safe routes to school
- Travel plans for your school
- First steps towards active travel
- Useful resources
- Useful links
Whats New
Why isn't active travel more widespread?
More and more people today own cars. This fact, along with increased fears for personal safety, has led many families away from active commuting. Current figures show that only 55 per cent of primary-aged children walk to school and this figure drops substantially once they reach secondary school.
There are many reasons why pupils do not actively commute to school:
- lack of time in the morning if parents are working
- lack of secure cycle storage
- fears for safety in busy traffic
- fears for personal safety in secluded areas
- peer pressure, particularly in secondary school
- provision of school bus transport.
However, there are many ways in which these barriers can be addressed. The best examples involve pupils and their families in the planning and development of partnerships that can support active travel.
There are also many opportunities to integrate active travel within the curriculum, such as in enterprise and citizenship lessons. Active travel plays a key part in other initiatives, such as Active Schools and Eco Schools.
Safe Routes to Schools
Safe Routes to Schools is a community-based initiative run by Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity, to promote walking and cycling to school. The initiative:
- encourages more people to walk and cycle to school safely
- improves road safety and reduces child casualties
- improves children's health and development
- reduces traffic congestion and pollution.
Travel plans for your school
Every school faces its own difficulties in relation to school travel and active commuting. Safe Routes to Schools enables each one to come up with its own travel plans that will tackle local issues through practical and educational measures. Some of the practical steps that can be taken include:
- road improvements, including cycle lanes, road crossings, lower speed limits and the development of 'safe routes'
- safer driving and parking
- school initiatives, such as 'walking buses', secure cycle storage, locker provision, incentives for walking or cycling
- better public transport provision, with services to suit school times and lower fares for pupils.
Alongside the practical measures, schools can also take various educational steps to reinforce the importance of active commuting. These include:
- embedding school travel in the whole-school ethos
- compiling a school travel plan
- providing cycle and pedestrian training
- incorporating school travel issues into the curriculum
- organising events for Road Safety Week and Walk to School Week.
First steps towards active travel
Most councils have a school travel coordinator, who can help schools with the development of their travel plans. Contact Schools at Sustrans to find out who the school travel coordinator is for your area. School travel coordinators work in partnership with the Active Schools coordinator, school staff, pupils and parents to support this work.
Useful resources
Active Travel across the Primary-Secondary Transition: Pilot Project
Transition programmes which help to prepare children for the move to secondary school often overlook the journey to school. The project was established to develop ways of promoting active travel among children over this period.
Travelling Green
The Travelling Green project is designed to encourage children and young people and their parents to feel more confident about walking to and from school.
Useful links
Safe Routes to Schools
An initiative run by Sustrans to promote active commuting to school and improve road safety; this site provides the free curriculum resource Routes 2 Action.
Sustrans
This sustainable transport charity initiates practical projects that encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport – in order to reduce motor traffic and lessen its adverse effects.
Scottish Road Safety Campaign
Road safety initiatives and campaigns in Scotland plus links to special areas for children and young people, with interactive games and information.
Cycling Scotland
This site aims to promote cycling and offer information and advice as well as providing an education service for schools and community groups; contains downloadable resources and advice leaflets on a variety of cycling topics.
Paths for All
An initiative established to create local path networks throughout Scotland for the enjoyment of local people and visitors. This site provides information, advice and resources.
Stepchange Scotland
Stepchange is a Scottish Executive funded programme designed to reduce car use, promote greater travel choice and to help people use their cars more efficiently. The website has information about starting a Stepchange project, training and free resources.
sportscotland
The national agency dedicated to promoting sporting opportunities at all levels throughout the country.
