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Safer routes to school

School travel plan

What is a school travel plan?

A School Travel Plan ( STP) is a plan for reducing the number of car journeys made to a school and looking at possible ways of improving the journey to and from school, but STPs are not just about transport. They are about improving the health and fitness of children, improving our environment, raising awareness, developing social skills and independence and broadening education. STPs demonstrate the school’s commitment to environmental and community concerns. STPs identify the potential for developing safer walking and cycling routes to school or influencing public transport provision, so that parents will choose to let their children walk, cycle or use the bus.

In summary, STPs aim

• to reduce traffic congestion and reduce pollution;
• to improve the school journey;
• to benefit our children’s health and fitness;
• to encourage children’s social skills and independence;
• to reduce parental time escorting older children.

Nine out of ten teachers consider that the walk to school actually makes children brighter, more alert and ready for the day ahead. STPs can improve your school’s community relations because STPs demonstrate that the school is taking steps to resolve the transport issues around the school. In fact, it is a good idea to include representatives of the local community on any School Travel Plan Working Party that you set up. There are links with the STP and Ofsted requirements and it may be that, by developing a School Travel Plan, schools are able to boost aspects of their Ofsted reports.

Calderdale Road Safety will also be pleased to offer further advice and help. Contact:

• Name:
• Stuart Hoyle / Bridget Kusyj or Sheridan Paterson
• Telephone:
• 01422 392144 or 01422 392814.

Bursaries

The government has indicated that it wishes all schools to have a STP in place by 2010. To assist this process they are making small capital grants available to all schools subject to the production of a satisfactory STP. The local vetting of the STP is by the Council's Road Safety Section, which is grant funded until 31st March 2010 to do this work and promote the production of plans.

The purpose of the STP is:

• To make journeys to and from schools safer.
• To promote safe walking, cycling and bus travel.
• To reduce the number of cars travelling to school and the congestion and chaos they cause around school gates.

The Government has indicated that a STP is a document which should include the following:

• A brief description of the school and its environment.
• Data on how children travel to school.
• The results of consultations with parents regarding the school journey.
• A strategy the school will follow to overcome existing problems and support remedial schemes. This is likely to include engineering and education.
• A system to evaluate the success of the STP.

The STP is seen as a working document, which will be reviewed annually. On this basis problems may well be tackled one at a time and new ones as they arise.

Around 83 schools have already produced a STP and others are working hard with the Road Safety Section's School Travel Advisors to achieve this.

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