Walking to School
Journeys to school account for around one-quarter of all journeys for under 16 year olds.
They set children's expectations for how to travel short journeys and tend to
be habit-forming. Research suggests that travel habits take root early and that
inactive children tend to become inactive adults.
According to the National Travel Survey the
percentage of trips by car for the under 16s has been steadily rising. This has
raised concerns about children's health and fitness as they lead increasingly
sedentary lives, and about the loss of opportunities for them to learn, as
daily pedestrians, about traffic and road safety.
Over 50% of children don't walk to school
regularly, and more and more pupils are being driven to school in a car. The
proportion of journeys to school by car has nearly doubled, from 16% to 30%.
This trend is contributing to reduced physical activity and increased childhood
obesity, urban congestion and air pollution.
The amount of daily exercise taken by
children has decreased in recent years. Childhood obesity is at an all time high — now affecting 8.5% of 6 year olds and 15% of 15 year olds.
Walking to school increases levels of daily physical activity for children and
for parents. Doing this 3 or 4 times a week can half your
risk of a heart attack or stroke. 1 in 7 children in the UK have
asthma, which is made worse by car exhaust fumes. In busy traffic, children are exposed to more
fumes inside the car than outside. Walking or cycling to school increases our
lung capacity, making us fitter and stronger.
Journeys to school have a significant
impact on levels of traffic and congestion. Although exact figures vary it is
reckoned that at the morning peak of 8.50am, 18% of all cars on the
road are taking children to school. Near to any particular school the
percentage is far greater.
Many of these car driving parents are
motivated to drive - ironically - by the large number of cars on the road. As a
result, traffic and congestion is increased, and in many areas a vicious circle
comes into being - fears about safety in traffic lead to less walking and
cycling and more driving which in turn increases traffic. In addition to
traffic safety, fear of bullies or gangs loitering at street corners, or
strangers lurking in our neighbourhoods may affect a parent's willingness to allow their
children to walk to school. By encouraging children to walk in groups
accompanied by adults, the risk of danger is decreased in these situations.
Research shows that it is possible to
encourage greater use of more sustainable forms of transport for school
journeys even in areas of very high car ownership. One well-established way of
tackling the problem, pioneered by Sustrans, is to develop safer routes for
walking and cycling to school. But there are many other things which can be
done to reduce car use and improve safety on the way to school, and many local
projects are already putting them into practice. But usually no one change is
enough to make the difference — a wide ranging travel plan is needed.
Schools in your area may already encourage
activities or have measures in place, such as walking incentives, walking
buses, encouraging Walking Once a Week, Park & Stride schemes or by
including aspects of road safety within the school curriculum.
Schools that encourage these initiatives
would most certainly have devised a Travel Plan. A school travel plan puts
together a series of measures to improve safety and reduce car use on journeys
to and from school. This is backed by a partnership involving the school, education and transport officers from
the local authority, the police and the health authority. It is based
on consultation with teachers, parents, pupils and governors and other local
people. The school travel plan concept is still relatively new, but it has
generated considerable interest both in this country and on the continent. In
the latest Department of Education and Skills instruction detailed in the
September 2003 Travelling to School: A Good Practice Guide, all schools in Britain should have a travel plan byMarch 2010.
Walking Buses
Popular now in
Britain ,
they mimic the behaviour of an ordinary bus but without the vehicle. The group
walks to (and from) school along a set route, picking up (or leaving) children
at agreed stops and times. It is in most cases organised and supervised by
volunteer adults. The most successful schemes are the ones where there's a
group of committed parents.
The benefits are wide ranging:
- For
the children - increased safety, physical exercise, social time with their friends, opportunities to learn
about the roads and their surroundings.
- For
the environment - less congestion and traffic, less pollution, less use of fossil fuels, less greenhouse gas
emission.
- For the parents - social contact with
other parents when they're running the bus, free time when they aren't,
physical exercise and the warm glow of knowing that they are now part of the
solution, not part of the problem.
Many local authorities help in the start up
of walking buses with risk assessing the routes, providing training, insurance
and high visibility clothing for the adults and children and in some cases
trolleys for the children's heavier bags.
Park and Stride
Park and Stride initiatives encourage
parents who must drive to school to park a good distance away from the school
entrances and to walk their children the last five or ten minutes. Even the
most regular walkers sometimes might need to take the car, especially after
school if you’re going on to do something in a different place (for example swimming lessons etc.).
The Park & Stride scheme is a simple solution and means that children at least walk
some of the way to and from school.
School Crossing Patrols
School Crossing Patrols are provided at
sites where there are large numbers of children crossing at the same location on a busy road at the start and finish of school times. Their role has never been more important
than today and as the number of vehicles on the road increases, so does the
danger for children when crossing the roads. Local authorities are responsible
for the School Crossing Patrol service — approving and reviewing sites,
recruiting, training and supervising patroller and the day to day running of
the service.
In 2001 the law changed, allowing crossing
patrols to stop traffic so that they can help anyone cross the road, not just
children. Patrols are usually on duty twice each day In the morning and afternoon, and at some locations during lunch times. Crossing
patrols will usually be on duty 30 minutes before and after the start and
finish of the school day.
Walk to school campaigns
National Walk to School week takes place
every year in the UK. Each year the theme is different but the aim is to promote walking
to school in a fun way. Schools across the country are encouraged to take part
and the events are featured in local, regional and national press. It’s a good
way of getting people involved in walking to school and getting people to break
the habit of driving to school so they hopefully carry on walking after the campaign
has finished.
Why Walk to School?
Most of us, especially those who are
parents, will know just how much the journey to school has changed since we
were at school ourselves — more traffic, longer journeys, more to carry, more
pressure of time. It is these factors which push us towards using our cars for
the school run. However, by changing our travel habits in order to use our cars less, can have a very positive impact for children in
many ways:
S = SAFETY TRAINING
Walking regularly with a child from a young
age enables them to develop life skills; preparing children with road safety
and personal awareness skills.
C = CONGESTION reduction
Fewer cars on our roads is good for the environment and local communities; fewer cars at the school gate
can make it safer for pupils making their way to and from school.
H = HEALTH benefits
Walking to and from school allows adults
and children to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.
O = ON the ball at school
Pupils who walk to school arrive wide awake
and are therefore more prepared for the school day ahead.
O = OUR fun and friendship
Friends and family can walk to and from
school together and enjoy some quality time.
L = LEARNING for life
Walking regularly enables a child to become
more familiar with their surroundings.
Sources:
www.dft.gov.uk
www.walktoschool.org.uk
www.safe-kids-walking.com
www.travelwise.org.uk
www.gloucestershire.gov.uk