Active travel to school

Car use for journeys to school has risen over recent decades. Cars stopping near schools to drop off pupils can cause congestion and safety problems, and car travel also reduces opportunities for pupils to exercise.

Advice for schools

Schools can help by encouraging safe, active travel to school.

Oxfordshire has two part-time School Travel Advisers available to work with Oxfordshire schools (independent and maintained) to help them successfully change school travel patterns. They both have wide ranging practical experience of working with schools on travel to school related issues. Contact us if you would like to arrange a visit.

Advice for parents

When parents are choosing a school it is worth thinking about how the family will travel there and how long it will take. Having to make a journey to school by car can add to localised congestion and safety issues outside school.

Walking or cycling to school can help children to arrive at school alert and ready to learn, as well as providing daily exercise.

School travel plans

A School Travel Plan (STP) is a document, put together by a school community, which sets out an plan of action to reduce car use, manage traffic-related issues, and encourage a mix of walking, cycling and bus journeys to school, as appropriate for that individual school.

Almost every school in Oxfordshire has one, but they need regular updating and implementing if they are to be effective.

Schools can update and maintain their STP at any time, but there are also circumstances when they may be specifically asked to do so, for example if:

• a school is expanding
• particular problems have been identified by a school or local community (such as parking issues around the school site)
• a school is submitting a planning application involving changes to the school or site.

Our School Travel Advisers can advise schools, local communities and individuals interested in helping a school develop a School Travel Plan.