The School Travel Plan

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The School Travel Plan Healthy Schools
Lorraine OGorman Regional School Travel
Advisor East of England
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School Travel Plans - A brief history 2000 -
2003 Department for Transport sponsored 111
bursary posts within local authorities to develop
school travel plans. (9 million
funding) Approximately 2000 School Travel Plans
in place September 2003 DfT and Department for
Education and Skills jointly launched the
travelling to school initiative. An additional
7.5 million per year for at least two years to
support a strengthened team of local authority
school travel advisors 40 million of capital
grants available to schools with a signed off
travel plan. Initially available for period
2003/04 and 2004/05 but been extended to
2007/08. AIM - ALL SCHOOLS (including
independents) TO HAVE A TRAVEL PLAN IN PLACE BY
2010
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So why the action plan?

• 19 of car trips on school run at 0850 peak
• Environmental impact pollution, congestion
• Health impact childhood obesity health
  related problems

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So what can the school travel plan do? The
school travel plan can Reduce car use on the
school run by creating conditions which will
allow far more children to travel safely on the
foot, by bicycle or on the bus Increase the
amount of exercise taken by children can
contribute towards rising obesity figures and
improve the health of our children Encourage
children to grow into adults that that make more
environmentally friendly and healthy travel
choices
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It does this through..
Leadership, management and managing change Policy
development Teaching and Learning School Culture
and Environment Giving pupils a
voice Partnerships with parents, carers and local
communities Assessing, recording and reporting
pupil achievement Staff development needs, health
and welfare
The Key components of the whole school approach!
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What are the links? Why should we actively seek
to integrate school travel plans into healthy
schools? KEY - THE WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH For
STAs Healthy Schools provides a sound framework
in which to develop school travel plans making
strong links with the curriculum For HSAs the
Travelling to School Initiative provides access
to funding, expert support and the chance to make
a real, measurable difference to their school
community For schools the partnership approach
demonstrates joined up thinking - a rarity in the
school environment!
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The big question - where do school travel plans
fit? - Depends mainly on your local programme and
accreditation process. - Through the Healthy
School Key Themes and standards STPs can deliver
through the following Safety Road Safety
Education programme in place Walk to School Week
Activities Cycle Pedestrian Skills
training Participation in special activities - eg
BRAKE Road Safety Week Pre Driver Training School
cycling policy
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Physical Activity Walk to School Week
activities Participation in special events
promoted by others to increase physical activity
such as Britain on the Move Incentive schemes to
encourage walking and cycling Walking
buses Curriculum projects looking at impacts of
journey to school Promoting cycling PSHCE Use of
circle time, school councils to develop
STP Invite local Cllrs and external officers to
discuss issues Active participation in
consultation Bus/Walking/Cycling Focus groups
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The East of England - So what have we got?

A team of 25 school travel advisors working
across the region on school travel issues!
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Healthy Schools and School Travel Plans in Action
- The Bedfordshire Experience Beds CC Officers
given opportunity to feed into criteria for new
safety standards All schools encouraged to submit
STP for Healthy Schools Accreditation Beds CC
Road Safety Strategy Key document for
Authority. We see great opportunities for
schools to use road safety projects or school
travel plans to attain accreditation under the
Key Theme Safety or as a Special Health Promoting
Project and are available to work with schools to
help achieve this. This of course helps to raise
the profile of road safety education and
emphasises the key partnership working between
Beds CC and the Primary Care Trusts
Simon Deards, Road Safety Engineer, Beds CC
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In summary.. The Healthy Schools ethos is the
ideal mechanism and framework for schools to
develop high quality school travel plans. We have
funds, time and expertise to help you achieve
your goals. For schools the example of linked
working is ideal and very appealing. Longer term
the TTSI Project Board may seek to establish
STPs as a mandatory requirement of the National
Healthy Schools Programme, this is an opportunity
to get ahead of the game. Thank You Any
questions to Lorraine.OGorman_at_bedscc.gov.uk Tel
01234 228614