The way our children travel to school can have a great impact on their lifestyle. Greater numbers of parents taking their children to and from school by car is contributing to:
- increased congestion around the school
- higher levels of exposure to pollution
- risk to pedestrians and cyclists
During term time cars on the school run account for 16% of early morning traffic and a measurable increase in pollutants such as carbon monoxide near schools.
School Travel Plan
A school travel plan can help to address these problems, by:
- encouraging more walking and cycling;
- improving safety on the school journey; and
- setting out a number of practical ways to reduce the number of car trips made to a school.
There are a large number of varied initiatives that schools can undertake such as:
- a voluntary car lift share scheme;
- a walking bus;
- cycle training and permit scheme; and
- "park and stride" (parking away from the school at designated sites and walking the remainder).
Suffolk County Council has a team responsible for promoting school travel plans and encouraging safe, active and sustainable travel to school. If you wish to contact a travel planner, please email suffolktravelplans@suffolk.gov.uk
