Hotspur Primary School Children with speed reduction signs they designed for School Travel Plans

A school travel plan is a package of measures aimed at improving road safety and reducing car use. 

School Travel Plans look at the travel patterns of pupils and staff with the aim of making it easier for them to choose walking, cycling or public transport as their way of getting to and from school.

A School Travel Plan has 3 key elements:

  • engineering looks at physical features on the road to help pedestrians and cyclists
  • education teaches children, parents and carers how to be safe when they are out and about
  • documentation pulls all the engineering and educational
    initiatives together and plans for the future.

 

Why do we need School Travel Plans?A boy cycling to school

Congestion and school gate parking have become major issues in the City and road safety fears are increasing.

A School Travel Plan can help schools by

  • improving road safety
  • reducing the number of car journeys made to school
  • helping to improve children's health and fitness through encouraging walking and cycling
  • making the area around the school more pleasant
  • promoting independence in children.

 

Does my school have a School Travel Plan?

Every school in Newcastle has a School Travel Plan, including SEN and Independant schools.

We are now in the process of updating and reviewing documents to reflect the changes that have occurred at many schools.

 

A girl walking to school

How can your school get involved?

Every school is already involved in School Travel Plans, you now have the opportunity to help with revising and setting out a new action plan.

You can begin by undertaking a new transport survey and talking to governors, pupils, teachers, parents about changes the want to see.

 

A yellow school bus

 

You can get support for this process from the Council's Road Safety Team, contact us on 0191 2115961 or email road.safety@newcastle.gov.uk

Page last updated: 16 August, 2011