Walking to School

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Published: 27 November 2006

Walking to School

Thousands more children around the country could soon be going greener in getting to school, after Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander has announced a £15million boost for walking to school initiatives.

The new investment is mainly aimed at setting up 'walking buses', and could mean the creation of thousands of new ones around the country. Schools can also apply for grants to support other walking to school initiatives.

The money will provide grants for primary schools for up to 3 years and they could use it to:

· pay a teaching assistant to act as 'walking bus' co-ordinator/organiser who would also promote the scheme to parents and seek support from local businesses

· provide incentives to children for taking part in the buses

· provide an escort for a 'walking bus' for an initial period

· pay the cost of assessing 'walking bus' routes

Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander said:

"Walking to school isn't just a good way for children to get more exercise and learn important road safety skills - it can also help cut down on congestion and help to combat climate change.

That's why I want to help as many schools around the country as possible start their own 'walking bus' schemes. They offer children the chance to get to school in a way that's safe, sustainable, and hopefully - fun."

Children's Minister Parmjit Dhanda said:

"Walking to school is a great way to get some fresh air and wake up ready for a day of learning.

As part of the new Education and Inspections Act, local authorities now have a new responsibility to promote sustainable travel to school, which means this funding comes at a particularly good time.

I hope that many more schools will now be able to introduce 'walking buses' which are a safe, fun and environmentally friendly way of getting to and from school."

The new investment comes in addition to the £7.5 million a year DfT and DfES jointly already spend on the Travelling to School project, which encourages sustainable travel to school.

As a result of the project, more than 10,000 schools in England now have a school travel plan in place.

Also published recently was a best practice guide on creating 'Links to Schools' - safe & convenient routes for children to walk & cycle to school:

· The Government contributed £10million to the 'Links to Schools' project

· Between 2004 and 2005, the project has created 147 new links, connecting over 300 schools to their communities, allowing up to 200,000 children to walk or cycle to school

DfT estimates that there are 600 - 1,000 'walking buses' in England.

Primary schools will receive a grant of £1,000 a year for up to three years for a walking bus, or £500 a year for up to three years for another initiative.

DfT and DfES jointly launched the Travelling to School project in 2003:

· The aim of project is for all schools in England to have an approved school travel plan by March 2010.

· More than 10,000 schools already had an approved school travel plan at the end of March 2006

The Travelling to School project is supported by £7.5m pa joint DfT/DfES funding to enable local authorities to employ a network of around 250 school travel advisers and regional school travel advisers to work with schools and help them develop and implement school travel plans.

DfES has allocated over £57m in small capital grants to schools with approved school travel plans since 2004:

· A school travel plan is a package of measures tailored to the needs of an individual school and designed to reduce car dependency and improve safety for journeys to school

· 'Walking buses' are frequently set up as part of the measures

· DfT is issuing guidance to schools on how the scheme will operate and how to apply for funding

Latest DfT statistics show that in 2005:

· 46% of children walked to school

· 1% cycled

· 20% used public transport

· 32% went to school by car

It is estimated that in 2005, 13% of cars trips in urban areas on term-time weekdays in the morning peak period (8-9am) were taking children to school.

Applications should be sent to walkingbuses@dft.gsi.gov.uk by 31 January 2007.

Further information:

Grants for walking buses

Walking and Cycling 'Links to Schools'

Details of DfT's new grants for 'walking buses'

How to set up a 'walking bus'

Grant application form (Word 37 Kb)

Related articles:

Sustainable Schools

Counting to Health

Forecasting Obesity

Healthy Walking