The safe routes to schools project is a three-year study which began in the autumn of 1995, with the aim of increasing the proportion of pupils who walk and cycle to school. The project id co-ordinated by Sustrans and is part funded by grant aid from the department of environment. The impetus for the project has been the significant decline, over the last 25 years, in the share of school journeys made by foot or bicycle, with a corresponding is en those made by car. This trend is acknowledged at have had a number of adverse effects on society in general and on children in particular. These include increased road congestion and air pollution; reduced childhood independence; slower development of vital road sense among young people; less opportunity for children to interact with their friends and environment; lower activity levels leading to less healthy pupils; and, as lifestyles are shaped at an early age, the reduced likelihood that walking and cycling will be used for short journeys among the adult population. It is understood that heightened concerns about children's road safety and personal security have led to this trend in school travel. This, in turn, is attributed to the considerable rise in motor traffic over the past two decades and a subsequent withdrawal of children from the road environment which, ironically, both adds to the motor traffic problems and undermines the benefit of `safety in numbers' for those children who still travel independently. The focus of the safe routes to schools project is to address these issues. in the autumn of 1995 and spring of 1996 surveys were carried out in ten English pilot schools with the support of four relevant local authorities. The purpose of these early `before' studies was to gather baseline data on the existing situation regarding issues relating to school travel- such as modal choice, modal preference route choice, journey distance, road safety, physical activity levels, etc. Over the three-year life of the safe routes to schools project the schools and local authorities involved will be undertaking a number of practical and educational measures to encourage walking and cycling for school journeys. What these measures will be depends, in part, on the needs identified as part `before' surveys. following the implementation of these measures, 'after' monitoring surveys will be carried out. A comparison of results between the `before' and `after' studies will reveal the effectiveness of the measures introduced in increasing the modal share of walking and cycling for schools journeys. The key findings from the `before' monitoring report are: The factors influencing modal split and travel patterns at different schools vary widely. These include: size of catchment area; the nature of local traffic; car ownership levels; provision for cyclist and walkers in the schools are alike, and the opportunities for, an constraints on, promoting walking and cycling for schools journeys will be particular to each one. Compared to national trends, relatively high levels of walking for school journeys are found where: the catchment area is fairly tight - usually in more densely populated urban areas; local traffic speeds and volumes are restricted or managed to facilitate movement on foot; car ownership levels are below average; and there is a 'culture' of walking. Compared to national trends, relatively high levels of cycling for school journeys are found where: the bicycle is generally an acceptable and comparatively well-used means of transport for short daily trips; cycling has been encouraged by the local authority through the provision of special facilities and traffic calming and management techniques; there is secure cycle parking in the school grounds; the school has developed a policy to encourage and/or accommodate cycling among its pupils; there is an absence of very busy, high-speed roads and junctions around the school - or where there is special provision for cyclist to negotiate these safely. Compared to national trends, relatively high levels of car use for school journeys are found where: car ownership levels are above average, traffic levels and speeds around the school are excessive; there is a lack of good quality provision for cyclist and pedestrians; the catchment area is dispersed; the school attracts ad significant proportion of pupils from outside its catchment; there is a poor public transport service; and a walking/cycling culture has not been fostered. Compared to all pupils, car escorted school trips are particularly prevalent among younger children - infant and junior pupils. Efforts to encourage cycling for school journeys should be focused on pupils aged 10-13. This age group exhibits high levels of cycle ownership and a keen ness to use their bicycles; the are at an age when they are increasingly demanding- and being permitted - to tracer independently of parents/guardians. Interest in cycling can drop off rapidly during teenage years, so if early enthusiasm is suppressed it will be very difficult to rekindle in later years. There is a need to promote the health benefits of walking among school pupils of all ages Currently, while cycling is perceived to be a good form of exercise, getting around on foot is not widely recognised as contributing to personal well-being, despite the fact that it is arguably one of the most accessible forms of gentle daily physical activity. There is a need to ensure that young people are involved in making decisions which affect their lives. In relation to school travel, the decisions which seem to be made in the best interest of children, may be far from this restricting their independence, social development and opportunities to engage in physical activity. The pupils who make school journeys are best placed to identify the dangers they perceive, what routes they take, what prevents them from walking or cycling, and what might help overcome the deterrents to using these modes. York and Leeds City Councils, which are both involved in the safe routes to school project, are adopting policies to involve children and young people in the decision-making process on issues which affect them, such as transport policies. AD wider application of this principle among all local authorities should be encouraged. (A)
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