Over the past ten years, the number of children walking to school has halved, while the number being driven to school has doubled.
(Image courtesy of Poole Borough Council)
This has resulted in increased levels of congestion, pollution, parking and safety problems near schools, as well as having long-term implications for pupils’ health as a result of the reduced amount of exercise.
Safer Routes to Schools aims to encourage children to walk or cycle to school, by improving the safety of pedestrian and cycle routes. A Safer Route scheme can take many forms and can include traffic calming, improved crossing facilities, cycle storage , cycle paths, help setting up a Walking Bus or introducing a StarWalkers scheme.
In order to plan a Safer Routes scheme, we ask pupils what improvements would help them to walk or cycle. A detailed Safer Routes scheme is designed, taking into account the views expressed by the pupils.
These steps often lead to the creation of a School Travel Plan.
Many schools across the county have benefited from the initiative. |  | Many pupils from the Nethersole Primary School
in Polesworth,
had to walk along a busy
road with narrow footways.
We constructed a footpath from the school, through an adjacent field, giving pupils a direct link to the
church and village centre.
They celebrated by holding a “palm” procession
to the church - complete with donkey. |