What are school travel plans?

1. What are school travel plans? They were a Government initiative for schools aimed primarily at reducing single occupancy, short journey, car use, resulting in: • Reduced Congestion • Improved health & fitness through active travel / reduction in obesity levels • Reduced carbon emissions • Improved Road Safety – fewer vehicles / improved road awareness of pupils etc;

2. Daniel DouglasTransport PlannerLondon Borough of Havering

3. Who are the Smarter Travel Team? • The Smarter Travel Team is made up of Martin Day and Jay Amin; they work within the Development & Building Control Service at the Council • The team is part of the wider Transportation Planning Team and its aim is to promote and facilitate active and sustainable travel in Havering • As part of the team’s Smarter Travel role they work extensively with the Borough’s Schools on their School Travel Plans • The team and its activities are fully funded by TfL who are charged with delivering the Mayors Transport Strategy

4. What is a School Travel Plan? • A School Travel Plan (STP) is a policy document written by a school in consultation with its pupils, parents and staff which addresses travel and transport issues in and around the school  • The STP looks at how pupils and staff currently travel to school and what could be done to encourage an increase in sustainable modes of travel such as walking and cycling • A good STP will be kept up to date, reviewed annually and re-written every three years to ensure that it continues to reflect the travel and transport issues at the school • School Travel Plans have never been mandatory and rely on the schools willingness to participate

5. What are the main benefits of having a school travel plan? It can help to: • Reduce traffic congestion and pollution in and around the school site • Improve personal and road safety skills • Improve the health and fitness of pupils and staff • Establish safer walking and cycling routes to school • Enhance relations with the local community • Potential long term benefits by reducing car use in young adults – health benefits

6. What happens in Havering? School Travel Plans were first introduced in Havering in 2005 and by 2009 all 90 schools in Havering had an approved travel plan. Now the schools are implementing their travel plans to address their own specific issues.

7. School Travel Plans – TfL Accreditation Scheme Each year schools are asked to produce an online review which contains: • A pupil and staff survey, actual & preferred travel modes – provides a comparison and patterns on previous years • Any existing or new transport issues • Details of their activities, such as cycling initiatives, WOW campaign, bike clubs etc. • An Action Plan & Objectives for the coming year(s) • Consultation with the whole school community The Annual Review is linked to a TfL Accreditation scheme which rewards and recognises achievements by schools in increasing active and sustainable travel levels – we have record numbers accredited in 2012. The Smarter Travel Team provide support to schools applying for accreditation. Funding from TfL and other resources are offered to accredited schools. In 2012, there are 56 accredited schools in total, 8 Outstanding, and 2Beacon schools – leading examples of what can be achieved, this is a regional TfL award.

8. Some of the MAIN school travel schemes in the Borough

9. Some of the MAIN school travel schemes in the Borough

10. Some of the MAIN school travel schemes in the Borough

11. What have the results been? • The results so far have been excellent • Schools in this Borough have achieved high modal shift (away from single occupancy car use) since the programme began, the percentage of car trips on the school journey is down from around 39% three years ago to approximately 23% currently – that’s among the biggest reductions anywhere in the country. We get this data from the annual reviews and annual school census • We have also seen much higher levels of cycling in many schools • Walking numbers, that were very good anyway, have shown an increase too • Public transport use has increased at Secondary schools

12. School Expansions The Challenge • With more pupils travelling further than previously car use is more likelydue to wider catchment areas

13. How the STP can help Our Role • The School Travel Plan can help minimise the impact of additional traffic around the school together with promoting safety • We will continue to work closely with schools on their travel plan to minimise the impact on the local community How can this be done? • By continuing to promote alternatives to single occupancy car use, active travel, public transport use, car sharing etc. • By providing schemes such as Walk on Wednesday / cycle training etc. • By looking at “dropping zones” and arrangements with local businesses for park and stride opportunities • By working with colleagues in parking enforcement, road safety and Safer Transport teams etc. to minimise inconsiderate and dangerous parking/ driving • The expansion programme could also provide the opportunity through the planning application process to deliver improvements to address existing issues

14. For further information please contact:Martin Day Smarter Travel Officermartin.day@havering.gov.uk01708 432869Jay AminAssistant Smarter Travel Officerjay.amin@havering.gov.uk01708 432875Daniel DouglasTransport Plannerdaniel.douglas@havering.gov.uk01708 433220

15. What are school travel plans? They were a Government initiative for schools aimed primarily at reducing single occupancy, short journey, car use, resulting in: • Reduced Congestion • Improved health & fitness through active travel / reduction in obesity levels • Reduced carbon emissions • Improved Road Safety – fewer vehicles / improved road awareness of pupils etc;

16. Who do we work with? • Whole School Community – assemblies, meetings with Governors, attending Working Groups, organising school travel conferences, public meetings • Road Safety Team – JRSO, Borough school events etc. • Borough Engineers – We provide details on potential TfL funded works - based on Travel Plan content. • Parking Enforcement Team – We liaise with the team highlighting issues at schools that could involve utilising CCTV vehicles etc. • Met Police Safer Transport Team – joint projects inc.Busted – behaviour on buses, bike marking etc. • Children’s Services / Building Control – new school builds / expansions • Transport for London • Cycle Training East and other external Companies

17. What are school travel plans? They were a Government initiative for schools aimed primarily at reducing single occupancy, short journey, car use, resulting in: • Reduced Congestion • Improved health & fitness through active travel / reduction in obesity levels • Reduced carbon emissions • Improved Road Safety – fewer vehicles / improved road awareness of pupils etc;

18. Inconsiderate / Illegal Parking • Reduce car use to school – promote cycling, walking, park & stride, public transport (where applicable) • School campaigns / newsletters / parent mail / teacher visibility / banners (zigzags) • Parking enforcement / CCTV vehicles • Limitations / Legal Position

19. What are school travel plans? They were a Government initiative for schools aimed primarily at reducing single occupancy, short journey, car use, resulting in: • Reduced Congestion • Improved health & fitness through active travel / reduction in obesity levels • Reduced carbon emissions • Improved Road Safety – fewer vehicles / improved road awareness of pupils etc;