“Over the past 20 years there have been big changes in the way that children travel to school. Car use has doubled, bus and train patronage have remained steady, and the proportion of pupils walking or cycling has decreased sharply. These trends reflect increasing car ownership, and a corresponding decline in the number and length of adult journeys made on foot or by bicycle. Driving to school causes congestion: in urban areas in term time nearly one in five cars at 8.50 am is on the school run.” Travelling to School: An Action Plan (2003)

Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) cause the majority of accidental deaths for children and young people in Scotland (88% in an average year). The Government has set a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries to children by 50% by 2010.

“ For centuries, people in Scotland lived active lives- but not any more. As a nation, Scotland is inactive, unfit and increasingly overweight (obese). The health of two-thirds of the Scottish adult population is now at risk from physical inactivity, making it the most common risk factor for coronary heart disease in Scotland today. Perhaps most worryingly, this trend starts before young people have left school. Tackling this is now crucial.” Let's Make Scotland More Active (2003).

The facts above highlight some important reasons why we must address the issue of school travel. The Scottish Executive recognises the need for action and identifies a cross departmental approach to: 

• Encouraging more children to walk or cycle to school (Health) 
• Promote Road Safety Education (Education) 
• Reduce pollution levels (Environment) 
• Ease congestion, in particular around the school gates (Transport)

East Lothian Council have appointed a School Travel Co-ordinator whose main role is to promote walking and cycling to school and discourage parents from driving children to school. The School Co-ordinator is  Lorna Hunter-Duncan and she is a qualified Primary School Teacher. Lorna will work with schools and their communities to produce School Travel Plans.

School Travel Plans
A School Travel Plan is a working document, which should include the following sections:

1. Introduction- a statement of what it is and why it is needed. 
2. Brief description of the school numbers, catchment, location, factors affecting school travel. 
3. Evidence of consultation-questionnaires, surveys. 
4. Summary of school's transport and road safety problems- key issues e.g. reasons for not cycling to school etc. 
5. Proposed initiatives with objectives and targets details about the action required.
6. Programme for implementation timescales, responsibilities, costs etc. 
7. Plans for monitoring and review how changes will be monitored, how they will be reported, date for review.

Each of our schools has a Road Safety Co-ordinator who is responsible for the promotion of road safety education throughout the school. At a recent Road Safety Co-ordinator's Seminar, held in John Muir House, Haddington, school staff were introduced to the idea of school travel plans. Lorna is currently preparing written guidance for schools.

Anyone interested in finding out more about this should contact:
Lorna Hunter-Duncan
School Travel Co-ordinator
Pupil Support
John Muir House
Haddington
01620 827143

Walking and Cycling
East Lothian Council are committed to the promotion of walking and cycling, especially for our children and young people. A School Travel Co-ordinator has recently been appointed to assist schools with the creation of School Travel Plans, which actively encourage children to walk or cycle to school and discourage parents from driving children to school.

Recent advice from the Scottish Executive states that, “children should accumulate at least one hour of moderate activity on most days of the week.” (Physical Activity Task Force).

Primary Schools in conjunction with local Road Safety Officers (Lothian and Borders Police, Road Safety Unit) provide Cycle Training courses for all Primary 6 pupils. The scheme used is called The Scottish Cycle Training Scheme, which was developed by the Scottish Road Safety Campaign. It relies on adult volunteers, who receive training, before carrying out practical lessons with small groups of pupils.

The training starts in the playground and then may progress onto the road. The on-road training would be carried out on a road which had been approved by the Road Safety Officer and the children would be issued with fluorescent tabards to wear.

Please contact the School Travel Co-ordinator if you would like to find out more about this or contact your local school if you are interested in becoming an adult volunteer to help out with cycle training.