Sustainable transport charity Sustrans, pioneered Safe Routes to Schools over 10 years ago. Their aim is to create a Safe Route to School for every child in the UK.
What is Safe Routes to Schools?
Safe Routes to Schools projects encourage and enable children to walk and cycle to school through a combined package of practical and educational measures.
Safe Routes to Schools projects also:
Improve road safety and reduce child casualties
Improve children's health and development
Reduce traffic congestion and pollution
Safe Routes to Schools projects involve:
The whole school community
Local residents
Local authorities
Health and education workers
The Police
Safe Routes to Schools projects are all about working together as a community to make the school journey safer and healthier for everyone.
Successful Safe Routes projects are child-centred, build on small steps to raise awareness and change travel behaviour and benefit the whole local community by helping to create safer, more healthy environments. Each school is different, with its own local problems and possible solutions. Developing a School Travel Plan can help ensure the complete situation is considered and embed safe and sustainable school journeys into the whole schools ethos.
Sustrans runs a national Safe Routes to Schools information service, aimed at schools, parents, pupils, Local Authorities and all those who are interested in Safe Routes to Schools Projects. They provide training, videos, newsletters, factsheets, teachers packs, resources, advice and networking opportunities as well as holding national and regional events and conferences. Additionally they work closely with policy makers and the media to raise the profile of school travel issues and the commitment to make a safe journey to school for every child in the UK.
You can find a range of free information and factsheets here which deal with everything from School Travel Plans to Cycle Storage
From cycle touring to city centre commuter journeys to family cycling on traffic-free paths, their on-line shop has over 400 of the very best cycling maps and guides to help you plan your journey - and remember that all the proceeds from sales go to supporting Sustrans work.