Safer Routes to School

The mode of travel chosen for a child's journey to school is recognised as having an impact not only on their safety but their health and personal development and of course the environment in which they live.

The Government has empowered Local Authorities to assist schools in developing School Travel Plans and Safer Routes to School programmes.

Safer Routes to School

The Safer Routes to School initiative aims to promote safer, more environmentally sustainable and healthier ways of getting to and from school with particular emphasis on walking and cycling.

Projects involve the investigation of school travel patterns usually carried out with the commitment to a School Travel Plan. (external link) This often identifies engineering and educational measures to improve safety and reduce car use on the route between home and school. These measures can be considered as part of a Safer Routes project and may include:

• pedestrian crossings, improved pavements
• school zones, traffic calming, parking restrictions
• cycle routes and cycle parking
• road safety education, training and publicity
• health information
• personal security advice

Find out more by visiting the County Council's Safer Routes to School page (external link)