Warwickshire News Mine

These grants will enable the schools to implement a School Travel Plan in an attempt to reduce congestion by encouraging pupils to walk, cycle or use public transport to get to school.

In Warwickshire 32 schools have already had their plans approved, and are ready to spend their grants on projects that improve their travel facilities.

Warwickshire County Council’s team of School Travel Plan Advisors are on hand to work with schools, setting up Travel Plans, tailor-made to their particular needs, which considers both health and safety of all those involved whilst looking at ways of reducing dependence on the car.

Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Cabinet member for the Environment, said: “Implementing a School Travel Plan is more important now than it has ever been. The number of cars used on the school run has increased dramatically over the last 20 years.

“It is estimated that during term time, in urban areas, nearly one in four cars on our streets at 8.50 am are on the school run. Recent studies have also shown that one in four children (aged 11-15) in England are obese; this is double what it was ten years ago.”

The School Travel Plan Advisors aim to highlight the health benefits to pupils who increase their exercise by walking or cycling to school. Many teachers have also said that children who walk to school tend to show greater levels of concentration and arrive alert and ready to learn.

The travel plans allow schools to set out a number of measures to encourage parents and pupils to consider healthier and more sustainable forms of transport.

An incentive for schools that have an approved plan is that the Government grant will made available to help them implement their schemes.

Schools can choose to spend the grant on a number of capital projects within the school grounds. This can include cycle storage, pedestrian waiting areas, new paths, improved lighting, bus turning circles, guardrails and barriers to improve access.

Hannah Collett, School Travel Plan Advisor, said: “It is really encouraging that so many schools have written a School Travel Plan and are considering ways in which to reduce car use on the school run. The grant will enable the schools to encourage their pupils to choose sustainable methods of travel and will also help many schools to move forward with their plans.”

Liz Short, Travel Plan coordinator at Coten End Primary School, Warwick has just submitted a plan for approval said: “We have recently developed a Travel Plan with the help from our School Travel Plan advisor which has given rise to several new initiatives. In particular, we are encouraging children to walk part, or all, of the school journey to reduce congestion around the school entrance. To support this we have worked with the community to provide car parking a short distance away.”

Bernard Peffers, Travel Plan coordinator for Bilton School, Rugby said: “Completing the Travel Plan has been very worthwhile. It has highlighted areas of concern from both parents and students who would support sustainable transport if improvements were made. With the help of the School Travel Plan advisor in securing a grant and following advice from the Police, a number of steps will be taken to improve the security for cyclists. Our survey has shown that raising awareness of such a facility would encourage those keen to cycle and help to reduce traffic congestion around the school entrance.”

Pamela Vaughan , Headteacher at Stratford- upon-Avon Primary School said: "The writing of our travel plan has involved children, parents, staff and governors - it has been one of the most important initiatives of our school year.  We want to reduce the number of cars and pollution around our school and increase safety in our local environment.  By walking and cycling instead of driving we are promoting fit, healthy children with active, observant minds - all ready for the day’s lessons!"

Jenny Fews, Headteacher at Park Lane Primary School, Nuneaton, said: “The School Travel Plan has been extremely valuable for the whole school community, involving pupils, parents, staff and governors. It allows us to look at the way children travel to school and the problems they face. We can then move forward and allow many more children to walk and cycle to school safely.”

Link to WCC