Since its initiation in Denmark in the 1970s, the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) movement has grown to include programs in many different countries and in many different forms. This article examines the SRTS efforts of Sustrans, a British charity focusing on sustainable transportation. Sustrans's SRTS efforts began in 1995 with a demonstration project. In the past decade, Sustrans efforts have expanded to provide schools, local authorities and government agencies across the United Kingdom with the tools and information they need to implement SRTS programs. Sustrans receives no direct funding from the UK's central government transportation department, but instead relies on charitable trusts, lottery funding and government and private sector contributions. Sustrans has leveraged partnerships with nongovernmental organizations and teamed with the public health sector to support efforts necessary to encourage students to walk and bike to school. Sustrans has found that the most successful SRTS projects are child-centered and build on small steps to raise awareness and change travel behavior.Such efforts can improve child health and reduce the negative environmental effects associated with motorized transportation.
Abstract