Safer Routes to Schools
The Safer Routes to Schools programme has been developed to support the objectives of the Regional Transportation Strategy, which aims to provide a safe, modern and sustainable transportation network for Northern Ireland.
This initiative aims to tackle the problems caused by the continuing growth of ‘School Run’ by car by raising awareness of the major issues related to increasing congestion including the detrimental impact on road safety, health and the environment.
SRS aims to provide measures to encourage increased use of sustainable travel options for the School journey ie walking, cycling, public transport and car sharing.
This programme provides traffic management improvements as appropriate outside schools, curriculum based education and awareness resources, travel surveys, information leaflets, road safety training and initiatives to encourage a modal shift away from the car for the school run.
The SRS annual programme will include a minimum of 30 schools from across Northern Ireland, the programme is delivered with the assistance of Travelwise NI partners, Department of Education, DOE Road Safety, Education and Library Boards, Public Health Agency, Translink and Sustrans.
All schools in Northen Ireland are eligible to express an interest to participate in the SRS programme. Schools will be assessed and prioritised on a Roads Service Divisional basis for inclusion in the annual programme using the SRS Assessment process.
Contact the Travelwise Team for more information.
Ph 0845 378 0908
E-mail info@travelwiseni.com
Aims of the Safer Routes to Schools Initiative
- To reduce congestion and pollution
- To promote sustainable transportation
- To reduce child casualties and improve children’s health
- To provide a safer local environment
- To deliver a greater sense of personal safety
- To increase independence and road sense of pupils
- To build a sense of community involvement
Links to the curriculum
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), Good practice guide for Primary School, Secondary Schools and Special Schools developed by the Inter-Education and Library Board ESD Curriculum Advisory and Support Service can be downloaded below.
SRS Level 1
The SRS Level 1 Measures include:-
1.Education and Awareness materials
The E&A materials have been developed in conjunction with the Education and Library Boards and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment.
For the Primary sector the “Best Foot Forward for Schools” Teacher information and Activity Pack is available. Primary Resources
For the Post-Primary sector an on-line teachers resource produced by Sustrans, which deals with the issues relating to sustainable travel, is available. KS3 Resource "Making the Links"
The resources have been developed to educate and inform young people about sustainable travel issues and provide information to help them become more pro-active in finding solutions to the transportation problems which effect their school and local community.
2.DRD
Will provide support through Travelwise NI Team, Travel Plan Co-ordinator and Roads Service Divisional, Network Services teams.
The Travel Plan Co-ordinator will assist schools to promote and develop initiatives to encourage sustainable travel to school, including: -
·Detailed pupil and staff travel survey
·BT Post Code analysis (where pupils live in relation to school)
·Identify how pupils travel to and from school
·Identify routes to and from school
·Identify locations of concern
·Identify issues of concern
·Leaflets for parents/ guardians
·Organised events
Roads Service, Divisional, Network Services teams will provide engineering support following consultation with the school and SRS partners and where appropriate will implement traffic management improvements to provide a safer environment outside the schools, these measures may include, improved signs and road markings, waiting restrictions, School Keep Clear markings, and new crossing facilities.
3.Department of Education
The Department of Education is responsible for the provision of infrastructure within the school grounds to support walking, cycling and public transport.
For those schools involved in Level 1 of the programme potential measures include the provision of a cycle shelter, cycle path and lockers if appropriate. At schools where cycling facilities are not appropriate alternatives such as basic traffic management measures inside the school grounds, including speed bumps and signage, will be considered. It is the intention of the Department of Education to work with the school to decide on the most appropriate infrastructure for that particular school.
4.DOE Road Safety Branch
DOE Road Safety Branch has the statutory responsibility for Road Safety Education, Training and Publicity.
Road Safety Branch is involved in a wide range of activities relating to all types and ages of road user to reduce the number and severity of collisions on Northern Ireland's roads. Road Safety Education Officers (RSEOs) are engaged in these activities at a local level. This includes providing free teaching materials and equipment to all schools, training of teachers and pupils and advising school principals/teachers on Road Safety Education. Schools involved with Travelwise NI are provided with enhanced support by their local RSEO.
5.Public Health Agency (NI)
Health Promoting Schools Co-ordinators aim to enable schools to provide an environment where the physical and mental well being, health and safety of staff and pupils are supported in partnership with family, community and external agencies.
6.Translink
Every day Translink transports approximately 65,000 pupils to and from school.
The aim of Translink is to provide a safe and efficient transport system to the community and local schools.
Education and Library Board school travel passes are provided to pupils attending their nearest suitable school and where the school is further than 3 miles from their place of residence (2 miles in the case of primary schools).
Translink pupil passes are also available Monday to Friday during term time.
SRS Level 2
The aims of the SRS Level 2 programme are the same as the SRS Level 1 programme, however, Level 2 also includes the development of a School Travel Plan and appropriate infrastructure improvements within the school grounds and on the public road.
Level 2 will provide:
- Education and Awareness materials. (As Level 1)
- Road Safety Training. (As Level 1)
- Department of Education measures.
Where a school progresses to Level 2 stage of the programme the Department of Education will consider a more extensive programme of infrastructure measures to support sustainable transport. This programme will arise out of the School Travel Plan and therefore be tailored to individual school needs. It is important that the infrastructure provided meets specific concerns and desires of the school.
Roads Service will also consider additional measures such as:-
- School Safety Zone development.
- Improved infrastructure to make it easier and safer to walk, cycle or use public transport for the journey to school.
- Traffic management measures.
Sustrans
Sustrans may be able to assist your school by providing curriculum resources, site-specific advice, and information sheets, to support your school in taking the initiative forward, through classroom activities and organised events.
Contact Sustrans in Belfast on (028) 9043 4569 or www.nationalcyclenetwork.org.uk
Translink
Under the SRS Enhance programme Translink will consider how they can facilitate improved bus services to the school.
For further information on the Travelwise NI Safer Routes to Schools initiative, please email info@travelwiseni.com
What is a School Travel Plan?
A school travel plan is a document setting out a package of measures for reducing the number of car trips made to a school or a group of schools by parents and staff and for improving safety on the school journey. A travel plan will:
- Be a whole school initiative and involves children, staff, parents, governors and the wider community
- Aim to enable parents and children to choose walking, cycling and public transport with confidence to help reduce congestion at the school gate.
- Address health, safety, environment, education and other social issues.
- Have clear aims, objectives and targets that can be measured.
Travel Plans complement initiatives such as Safer Routes to School and road safety campaigns. To ensure a more successful and wide reaching approach to school travel plans, linkages are being established with the cycling and walking strategies, traffic management, car parking strategy, air quality management action plans, health improvement programme, physical activity action plan and the Health Action Zones.
No two school travel plans are the same. They may range from a simple statement of school policy through to a comprehensive document, which examines in detail every aspect of the journey to school and its consequences.
The plan document should include as a minimum:
- local transport policy objectives
- consultation with children, parents, school staff, governors and the wider community
- description of the school and summary of its transport and road safety problems
- proposed initiatives
- proposals for monitoring and review of the plan
Cycling Proficiency
The DOE Road Safety Branch is continuing to promote and market cycling proficiency to children in schools.
