School travel plans
A School Travel Plan is a written document which outlines a
series of practical steps for improving children’s safety on the
journey to and from school.
The plan should result in benefits for pupils, parents and the
wider community. It will assist pupils and parents in identifying
healthy and sustainable transport options and help to reduce the
numbers of cars on the road at peak times. In addition it will
contribute to the improvement of the environment around the
school.
Without action, a travel plan is not going to make a big
difference to your children’s journey to school.
This is where the School Travel Implementation Strategy comes
in.
The strategy aims to:
- Encourage all stakeholders to promote sustainable travel to
school
- Improve the sustainable travel infrastructure.
- Enable travel behavioural change of the whole school.
Led by the School Travel Team, the strategy takes forward the
actions identified in the travel plan and provides practical
support and advice to schools on all matters regarding travelling
to school.
How to sign up to a school plan
Each year the School Travel Team invites schools to sign up as
one of 20 'focus schools' in order to receive a programme of events
throughout the school year.
Benefits of signing up to a school plan
The aim of a school plan is to reduce the number of pupils
travelling to school by car, in turn reducing congestion and air
pollution and increasing the amount of physical activity taken by
pupils.
Services offered to schools:
- Help setting up a walking bus
- Curriculum resources for teachers that promote sustainable
travel
- Assemblies/presentations
- Support with Walk on Wednesdays
- Help and support with installation of cycle parking
- Support locating and setting up park and stride areas
- Cycle training for staff, parents and children
- Safety walks with pupils
- Curriculum linked lessons on sustainable travel
- Safe route planning with pupils
- Presentations to parents and governors
- Dr Bike sessions
- Support accessing funding
- Travel plan support
- Support with Links to school funding
The School Travel Team can still provide support and advice to
schools that are not part of the focus group; however, these
schools will not be prioritised over the 20 focus schools.
Everything you need to know about school travel plans
Visit the Travel to School website for everything you need to
know about school travel plans and sustainable travel in Greater
Manchester. It's a great website with lots of information and fun
games all to do with travelling to school. Click on Rochdale on the
map to navigate round the site.