Robert Peel Lower School Travel Plan

Transcription

1 Robert Peel Lower School Travel Plan December 2008 Robert Peel Lower School Dapifer Drive Sandy Bedfordshire SG19 1QJ Headteacher: Mr D Saunders Chair of Governors: Mrs J Warriner robertpeel@deal.bedfordshire.gov.uk DfES no Contents 1

2 I. Introduction Rationale and Aims Our School Location Catchment Area and Distribution of Pupils School Opening Times Extra-Curricular Activities Community Use of the School Buildings, Grounds and Facilities Key Walking Routes Access Local Road Safety Measures Transport Links Transport (SEN) School Travel Activities and Education Journeys Made During the School Day Deliveries Travel Issues Future Developments II. Consultation The Working Group Postcode Plots Questionnaires, data and commentary Danger points on the route to school Proposals taken forward Proposals not taken forward III. Objectives and Targets IV. Monitoring and Evaluation V. Capital Grant VI. Approval and Sign Off VII. Appendices A. Article in Biggleswade Chronicle B. Questionnaires C.Letters 2

3 I. Introduction Rationale and Aims The Local Transport Plan for Bedfordshire sets out the integrated strategy for Bedfordshire and follows the Government s White Paper A New Deal for Transport: Better for Everyone. The plan requires: An integrated strategy for reducing car use on the journey to school and improving children s safety taking into account the health and education aspects as well as road safety measures. The Robert Peel Lower School Travel Plan will look at the issues associated with the journey to school and will aim to reduce car use and congestion through the promotion of sustainable travel whilst improving general levels of safety, health and fitness. Central to the promotion of sustainable travel is raising awareness of the alternatives to travel by car through encouraging walking, cycling or taking public transport. In addition pupils need to be provided with the skills to travel independently (where appropriate) confidently and safely. The school travel plan sets out a number of practical steps to help achieve this. It looks in detail at children s needs on the school journey and attempts to address them by finding the right solution for each individual school. The School Travel Plan will have clearly stated aims, objectives and targets that are achievable, measurable and are supported by the whole school, children, parents and the wider community. Key objectives of this Travel Plan are A reduction in the number of parents/pupils/staff who drive to school The promotion of walking, cycling and car sharing and other sustainable transport modes To maintain and increase the high level of pupils/parents that travel by sustainable mode to school To address issues that may discourage parents/pupils/staff from walking, cycling or scootering to school. A vital part of a school travel plan is consultation with those who live nearby and who wish to constructively contribute their experiences and views. In addition the County Road Safety Strategy has a commitment to reduce accident rates in line with national targets. School travel plans have an important role in helping to achieve these aims. School transport is not only a transport issue: it also encompasses health education and links to our school s aim to promote a healthier lifestyle for our pupils by encouraging them to have a healthy and safe journey to school. 3

4 Our School Robert Peel Lower School was opened in It is a large co-educational Community Lower School of approximately 300 pupils aged from 5 to 9 years. Attached to the school is a 60 place Nursery Unit for children aged 3 to 4. From Reception to Year 4 there are two classes per year group with a maximum of 30 per class. In September 2008 the number on role was 304 and the number of staff was 48. Location Robert Peel is situated in a residential area of the town of Sandy (population 11,000 in 2004). Sandy is a small market town in northern Bedfordshire. It is situated between Cambridge and Bedford, and the A1 runs along its Western boundary. The surrounding area is predominantly rural and used for arable farming. The Northern part of Sandy includes an area of housing named Fallowfield which has added considerably to the town s population in recent years and the estate is still growing. Sandy shown within Bedfordshire Catchment Area and Distribution of Pupils The catchment area is shown on the map below. = Robert Peel Lower School 4

5 Our catchment includes an area of comparative disadvantage and more than 50% of the school s intake is from families within the categories of moderate means or hard pressed. In September pupils were from out of catchment. School Opening Times The school day begins at 8.55am but the gates are opened from 8.45am to allow for a rolling start and at that time children can go straight to their classrooms. The side gates are then locked at 9.10am and remain locked throughout the day for security reasons. The school day ends at 3.20pm. The school gates are opened at 3.15 pm to allow parents on to the school site to collect their children. The Nursery runs two sessions per day. These are from 9am to midday and from 1.15pm to 3.15pm. Access is through the Nursery playground and the gate is only unlocked at the start and end of sessions. Various clubs run before and after school. The earliest starts at 8.10am. The latest finishes at 4.45pm. Children attending these clubs must be delivered to and/or collected from the main entrance. Extra-Curricular Activities Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Choir, Recorders, Hand Bells Games Club, Netball, Dance, Football, Karate Club Early Birds, Guitar, Keyboard Games Club, Early Birds Gardening Club, Karate Club Community Use of the School The Football training on Tuesdays is run by an outside provider (Rushden and Diamonds F.C.) Similarly the school hall is hired for the Karate sessions on Fridays and this is open to all members of the community with about 25 participants on Tuesdays and 25 on Fridays. The Drop-in runs on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and is open to the whole community. This is a session for adults and pre-school children that takes place in the Nurture Group classroom. It provides a safe and stimulating environment for the children to learn to play co-operatively with others. Grown-ups also get the opportunity to join in activities such as cooking, singing and messy play, and in adult education courses on such topics as First Aid and story-telling using Story Sacks. Numbers vary from session to session but on busy days there is a maximum in place of 20 families. 5

6 Buildings, Grounds and Facilities Robert Peel Lower School sits in a large plot with ample outside space. There is a large playing field, a garden with a pond, a log cabin and allotments, a large playground area and an outdoor swimming pool. The main school building houses a hall, classrooms, offices and the Nursery Unit. The Nursery has its own playground incorporating a covered outdoor area used for year-round all-weather learning opportunities. 6

7 Nursery shelter Reception shelter The outdoor space between the Reception classrooms has been covered providing much needed outdoor workspace and shelter for parents when they drop off their children in the morning. There is no shelter available for parents collecting their children on wet days. The Year 4 block is linked to the main building by a covered walkway. The Year 3s are based in the mobiles, a separate block housing two temporary classrooms. Each pupil has a peg in their classroom. There is limited coat hanging space in the staff toilets near the main entrance. The Site Agent lives in a bungalow which backs on to the car park. The car park is solely for the use of staff and there are 17 marked spaces. Staff also park along a grass verge within the school grounds and also on the roadside in Dapifer Drive. Children are not allowed in the car park area and pedestrians should not use the car park entrance. Cycling to school is allowed. At the back of the car park there is space to park bicycles under a basic shelter. There is no secure place for storing scooters so some pupils leave them unsecured in the bicycle shelter. 7

8 Key Walking Routes Parents and pupils approach the school on foot - from the north and from the south by Dapifer Drive - from the east along Abbey Grove - from the north and from the south via the Cycle Path (which runs alongside the southwest border of the school grounds) - and from a number of cul-de-sacs and alleys that link to the Cycle Path Access The main pedestrian entrance, a smaller side gate and the car park entrance are from Dapifer Drive which leads to various no-through roads. On the opposite side of the school there is another pedestrian entrance that is reached from a number of cul-de-sacs and the cycle path. There is also a large locked gate onto the field from Dapifer Drive to allow access for emergency vehicles. Cycle path Main driving routes to school main walking routes to school from North and South on cycle path, and from Dapifer Drive, Abbey Grove and Berwick Way (see Carlisle Close) Orange Car park entrance photo 1 Green Main entrance (pedestrians only) photo 2 Blue Playground entrance from Dapifer Drive (pedestrians only) photo 3 Red Playground entrance from cycle path (pedestrians only) photo 4 8

9 1.Car park entrance 2.Main entrance 3.Dapifer Drive playground entrance 4.Cycle path playground entrance Local Road Safety Measures The nearest school crossing patrol is at the junction of St Neots Road and West Road at the zebra crossing. There is a pelican crossing where the cycle path crosses Sunderland Road to the south of the school, but there is no crossing where the cycle path crosses Engayne Avenue to the north of the school. The speed limit throughout local roads is 30mph. There are no local traffic calming measures. Our local Community Police Officers have occasionally visited the school at the end of the school day to discourage parents from parking on the keep clear and zigzag lines. Transport Links Sandy is served by a railway station which is about one third of a mile from the school. The closest bus services are along St Neots Road and link Sandy with Bedford to the west, Biggleswade to the south and Potton to the east. The Sandy cycle path runs alongside the southwest border of the school grounds. A minibus delivers and collects pupils daily for Toybox Day Nursery After-School Club. Transport (SEN) At present there are no pupils or staff requiring special transport arrangements and there are no dedicated disabled parking spaces. Should the need arise the procedure would be to drop off and pick up from the staff car park close to the path that leads to the front door. 9

10 School Travel Activities and Education The topics of road safety, transport and environmental issues are covered within the school curriculum through many subjects: - Art and Craft - Drama - Geography - Maths - PE - PSHE - Science Transport also played a major part in the Reception assembly on People Who Help Us. Robert Peel Lower School also has Healthy Schools status and pupils take part in Stepping Out Safely and in the Passport for Life scheme. There are also regular visits from the Police and from the Road Safety Officer, and pupils are encouraged to join in with Walk to School Week. Journeys Made During the School Day On local trips pupils are expected to walk 2-by-2 in a crocodile and fluorescent vests are available. When travelling further afield coaches are used and they tend to pick up and drop off immediately outside the main entrance. The only way to turn around is to use the junction of Dapifer Drive and Abbey Grove to perform a three point turn - a manoeuvre that is tricky at quiet times of day and almost impossible if it coincides with the start or finish of the school day. Some journeys may be made by car by staff during the school day, for example at the start of the academic year the Head of Nursery and a Nursery Nurse make home visits to all of the new starters. Other journeys are made during the day and after school by staff attending meetings or training in Sandy and often further afield, in Biggleswade or Bedford. For most of these journeys there is not feasible alternative to the staff using their own cars, although more carsharing could be encouraged. Deliveries Regular deliveries take place in the staff car park but there is little room for turning so lorries have to reverse out. Other delivery vans often stop on the zigzag lines immediately outside the main gate. 10

11 Travel Issues The table below describes travel issues that the working party were aware of prior to sending out questionnaires, and the source(s) of these comments/complaints. Issue Parking causing congestion in the roads immediately surrounding the school. Parking on zigzag lines and on corner of Abbey Grove. Poor driving in the immediately surrounding the school, e.g. speeding, turning. Nowhere for parents to shelter on wet days. Nowhere secure to store scooters. Dangers posed by scooting and cycling in the playground. Lack of spaces in school car park. No road markings to discourage parking opposite gates to field (emergency vehicle access). Danger of collision between pedestrians and cyclists where footpaths cross cycle path. The state of the cycle path weeds, dog mess, flooding, etc. Lack of Zebra Crossing on Engayne Avenue. Source Discussion with other parents. Complaints from local residents. Discussion with other parents. Comments from staff whose offices face main entrance. Discussion with other parents. Comments from staff. Discussion with other parents. Discussion with other parents. Discussion with other parents. Comments from staff. Comments from staff. Discussion with governors at Buildings Subcommittee. Discussion with other parents. Discussion with other parents. Discussion with other parents. Future Developments We are not aware of any current or future plans for development that would affect the journey to school of our staff or pupils. 11

12 II. Consultation The Working Group School Travel Plan Coordinator: Cathy Barrows Ginette Gay Jean Gregory Lorraine Kilby Paula Leonard Lynne Meehan Kelly Page David Saunders Rebecca Shepherd Julie Warriner Julie Warriner Teacher / Parent Parent Teaching Assistant / Admin Assistant Governor / Parent Parent / Lunchtime Supervisor Governor / Parent Parent Head Teacher Governor / Parent Chair of Governors / Parent July 2008 Members of the working group met briefly with Nick Shaw, School Travel Adviser, to go through the Travel Plan pack. He also briefed us on the Star Challenge booklet and how it could be used at Robert Peel School. September 2008 Members of the group met to divide up the tasks involved in the consultation process and it was decided to launch the Travel Plan process at Parents Evening where parents could be encouraged to complete their questionnaires on the spot. October Members of the group met to discuss the first draft of the document (introduction and consultation). Having looked at the data and comments on questionnaires, work began on the tables of objectives and targets. It was decided that the tables should be for school actions and there should be a separate section for items that need referring to the Town Council or Beds Highways. A representative of the council will be invited in to school to discuss the issues. It was also decided to put up a display of the questionnaire findings on Parents Evening on October 15 th /16 th. 2. Members met again to discuss the draft version of the grids of objectives and to discuss the Star Challenge programme. It was also decided that ithe draft TP would be made available online, and paper copies would be available in the office, at dropin and a library copy per class available for overnight lending. 12

13 Postcode plots The maps below show the postcodes of RPLS pupils and their usual method of transport to school in January Cycling Walking 13 By Car

14 Questionnaires 1. Pupil/Parent Questionnaire 89 families out of 223 returned a questionnaire (40% return) which was distributed in mid- September Key findings: Of the respondents to the Parent and Pupil Questionnaire, - The majority walk to school (76%). - Whilst 12% currently come by car, half of these respondents would consider travelling by a more sustainable method. - Currently 2% travel by bike, but 13% would like to. - 50% of pupils enter the school grounds through the Dapifer Drive playground gate (the narrowest of all the entrances). - 93% of respondents consider the journey to school to be safe or fairly safe. - 39% of those who drive to school are continuing on to work (this was the most common reason for using a car for the school run). - Only 18% of car journeys are solely to take the pupil to school. - The two biggest factors in encouraging parents out of their cars are improved pedestrian routes (28%) and having less to carry (21%) Parents and pupils identified the following as dangerous places on the route to school: - Poor parking in Dapifer Drive, especially on the junction with Abbey Grove (13 respondents mentioned this) - Speed of cars in Dapifer Drive and Berwick Way (6) - Crossing Engayne Avenue (5) - Speed of bikes on cycle path (2) - Crossing Dapifer Drive at the car park entrance (2) - Crossing Sunderland Road - Crossing Dapifer Drive opposite the main entrance - Unlit and uneven path between Lindisfarne Close and Winchester Road - Cars turning in Dapifer Drive - Cars turning in Alfred Cope Road - Narrow pavement in Longfield Road (impossible to walk with a pushchair and holding another child s hand) - Danger of collision between cyclists and pedestrians at the junction of Alfred Cope Road and the cycle path - Danger of collision between cyclists and pedestrians at the junction of Windsor Way and the cycle path - The cycle path chicane (where the cycle and pedestrian sides of the path are suddenly reversed). - Crossing the A1 Other concerns that arose were: - Dog mess (6 respondents mentioned this) - Unkempt alleyways - Lack of secure scooter storage - Lack of shelter on wet days - Need for a crossing or school crossing patrol in Dapifer Drive - The state of the pavement/grass verge on the corner of Churchill Way and the alleyway towards the school. - The bushes/trees on the North Side of Sunderland Road (between building site and pedestrian crossing) which are overgrown and narrow the pavement considerably. 14

15 2. Staff Questionnaire 26 of 48 staff returned a questionnaire (54% return) which was distributed in mid-september Key findings: Of the respondents to the Staff Questionnaire, - The majority walk to school (54%) these were mainly Teaching Assistants and Lunchtime Assistants. - 38% come to school by car these were mainly Teachers and Admin Staff. - Of the 38% travelling by car, 8% would like to travel by a more sustainable mode of transport. - 96% of staff considered the journey to school to be safe or fairly safe. - No members of staff are currently car-sharing. - The biggest factor in encouraging staff to walk or cycle is improved cycle or pedestrian routes. - Saving money on fuel is also a major factor that would encourage staff to use the car less. Staff identified the following as dangerous places on the route to school: - Inconsiderate parking (3 respondents) -opposite main entrance -at junction of Dapifer Drive with Abbey Grove -at junction of Dapifer Drive and Sunderland Road - Pedestrians crossing Dapifer Drive at the car park entrance (2) - Danger of collision between cyclists and pedestrians at the junction of Alfred Cope Road and the cycle path (2) - Sections of the cycle path that are overgrown and narrowed (2) - Middle School children running across the road (2) - Parents and children walking through the car park - Cars reversing out of Abbey Grove - Crossing St Neots Road - Crossing the A1 Weeds narrowing cycle path Other concerns that arose were: - Dog mess on cycle path and footpaths - Transporting of resources and distance from school make car travel the only viable option for many staff 15

16 3. Neighbourhood Questionnaire Of 136 questionnaires delivered 9 responses were received (7% return). Questionnaires were distributed in mid-september Questionnaires were delivered to the residents of - Dapifer Drive (all houses) - 1 reply - Abbey Grove (the 16 houses closest to the school) - 1 reply - Leeds Smith Drive (all houses) - 3 replies - Alfred Cope Road (all houses) - 4 replies - Churchill Way (all houses) - 0 replies The following issues were raised: Dapifer Drive/Abbey Grove - Parked cars cause congestion Alfred Cope Road/Leeds Smith Drive - Driveways often blocked - Parking across the KEEP CLEAR markings - Speed of cars - Children leaving vehicles from the roadside - Children playing chase around the cars - Cars parking on grass verges which get churned up in wet weather The following suggestions were made: - Organised system of parents taking turns in walking the children to school. - A walking bus from the Scout Hut on Sunderland Road. - Staggered start to the school day. 4. Hands-Up Survey In September 2008 pupils in Years R-4 were asked two questions: Q1 How do you usually travel to school for the main part of the journey? Q2 How do you prefer to travel to school for the main part of the journey? The results are shown in the graphs in Appendix D. Main findings: a. Most pupils walk to school. b. Many more pupils would like to cycle to school. 16

17 5. Working Party discussions Within their meetings members of the working party identified the following list of issues: - Congestion in Dapifer Drive at the start and end of the school day. - Parking on zigzag lines outside main entrance by private cars and Toybox bus. - No road markings to discourage parking in front of the gate to the field (emergency access). - Children alighting to the road, not to path in Dapifer Drive. (It was suggested that this was sometimes preferable to alighting onto the grass verge which is extremely muddy in wet weather. This area might be better used as parking bays to alleviate congestion.) - Three-point turning in Dapifer Drive, Abbey Grove, Alfred Cope Road and Leeds Smith Drive. - Inconsiderate parking in Alfred Cope Road at the start and end of the school day. - Danger of collision between cyclists and pedestrians at the junction of Alfred Cope Road and the cycle path. - Blocking of the cycle path by pedestrians at start and end of the day. - The cycle path chicane (where the cycle and pedestrian sides of the path are suddenly reversed). - Danger posed by a wall backing onto cycle path (opposite mobile classrooms) which looks likely to collapse. - The state of the alleyways that connect with the cycle path: poor surfacing, dog mess and overgrown weeds. - Regular flooding on a number of sections of the cycle path. - Children and adults riding cycles/scooter in the playground. - No scooter storage facilities. - No shelter for parents in wet weather at the end of the school day. - The need for a zebra crossing where the cycle path crosses Engayne Avenue, a busy road leading to Sandy Upper School. - The need for a turn left lane from St Neots Road into Sunderland Road. - Uneven and broken paving slabs near main entrance on Dapifer Drive. - Traffic congestion along St Neots Road and High Street caused by lorries unloading during rush hour. - Damage to grass verges in wet weather. (It was suggested that whitewashed rocks could be placed on the verges.) - A Driver s Charter to encourage responsible driving and parking. - A 20mph limit in Berwick Way and Dapifer Drive. 6. Other Responses - Sandy Town Council sent a letter expressing support. - Article in Biggleswade Chronicle (see Appendix A) - No response from the local police (as of ) - Neighbourhood Questionnaire received from the Mayor (a resident of Leeds Smith Drive) 17

18 Danger points identified on the route to school (immediate vicinity) E F D G H C B I A L K J A Alfred Cope Road: poor parking and cars turning B Where cycle path meets Alfred Cope Road: pedestrians and cyclist unsighted, and pedestrians standing on cycle path at start and end of the day (see photo below) C Cycle path chicane D Speed of bikes on Cycle path E Berwick Way: cars travelling too fast F Entrance to car park G Cars parking on zigzag lines H Cars parking on corner of Abbey Grove I Dapifer Drive: parked cars and speeding J Junction of Sunderland Road and Dapifer Drive: parked cars K Where cycle path meets Windsor Way pedestrians and cyclist unsighted L Leeds Smith Drive: poor parking and cars turning Alfred Cope Road / Cycle Path Cycle Path Chicane 18

19 Danger points identified on the route to school (further afield) Crossing Engayne Avenue on the Cycle Path (Although there are dropped kerbs, there is no crossing marked here.) A1 Crossing St Neots Road (This busy main road does have a school crossing patrol on the zebra crossing at the junction with West Road.) Crossing Sunderland Road (This busy main road has a pelican crossing just before junction with Dapifer Drive.) Robert Peel Lower School zebra crossing pelican crossing 19

20 Proposals taken forward (Part 1) to be addressed by Robert Peel School - To provide secure scooter storage to encourage more pupils to scoot. - To provide some shelter for parents collecting their children on wet days - To develop a Drivers Charter to encourage responsible driving and parking. - To introduce the Star Challenge programme to encourage more pupils to walk, cycle or bike to school. - To monitor the parking outside the main entrance by private cars, taxis and the Toybox bus. - To remind parents and pupils of the rules regarding riding cycles/scooters in the playground. - To encourage car-sharing wherever possible. 20

21 Proposals taken forward (Part 2) to be brought to the attention of the Council and/or Beds Highways - Road markings o a. A box junction outside main entrance and extending to junction of Abbey Grove where parking is to be prohibited. o b. Double yellow lines in front of the gate to the field (emergency access). - Speed of cars in surrounding roads. To consider a 20mph zone in Dapifer Drive, Berwick Way, Leeds Smith Drive and Alfred Cope Road. - Cycle path maintenance. o a. To review the need for resurfacing on certain sections which flood regularly. o b. To review whether lighting is adequate. o c. To cut back the weeds regularly. o d. To deal with the problem of dog mess. o e. To promptly deal with the potential danger of a collapsing wall. o f. To review the state of the alleyways that connect with the cycle path: poor surfacing, dog mess and overgrown weeds. - Danger of collision between cyclists and pedestrians at the junction of Alfred Cope Road and the cycle path, and at the junction of Windsor Way and the cycle path. To review the need for slow or cyclists dismount signs and positioning a convex mirror on the lamppost facing ACR. - The cycle path chicane / Blocking of the cycle path by pedestrians. To review the position of the cycle path past the playground and to consider rerouting cycle lane / pedestrian lane or marking the area more boldly. - Junction of cycle path and Engayne Avenue. To provide a safe crossing. - Junction of St Neots Road and Sunderland Road. To create a left only lane to keep traffic flowing at the roundabout and to encourage drivers to use Dapifer Drive rather than Leeds Smith Drive and Alfred Cope Road. - Path between Lindisfarne Close and Winchester Road. To improve lighting and uneven surface. - Pathway/grass verge on corner of Churchill Way and alleyway. To deal with the mud / hole. - The bushes/trees on the North Side of Sunderland Road (between building site and pedestrian crossing). To get these cut back. - Narrow pavement in Longfield Road. To investigate whether this can be widened. 21

22 Proposals not taken forward - Organised system of parents taking turns in walking the children to school. It was felt that this happens informally already with parents taking it in turns to walk children to school. - A walking bus from the Scout Hut on Sunderland Road. As the Scout Hut is used in the mornings by Moggerhanger Pre-School this would not be feasible. - Staggered start to the school day. This happens to an extent already with a 15 minute rolling start to the day (Years R to 4 pupils are expected to arrive between 8.45 and 9am; half of the Nursery pupils arrive at 9am and half at 1.15pm). A further division (e.g. Year 1 arrive at 8.45, Year 2 arrive at 9am, etc.) would not be practical for parents with children in more than one year group. - To investigate the possibility of replacing grass verge with parking bays in Dapifer Drive it was felt that this would actually encourage more parking, so other ideas should be pursued such as the Star Challenge exclusion zone and Drivers Charter. - Crossing or school crossing patrol in Dapifer Drive. As pupils approach the school from all directions there is not one single place where this would work. If the boxed junction idea is adopted, this should provide a safer crossing place directly outside the main entrance. - Whitewashed rocks on grass verges to discourage parking. This was discounted for various reasons: residents may not want them; council lawnmowing would be affected; we don t have the right to impose them. - Staff Showers. This would be a costly venture for a very small number of users. 22

23 III. Objectives 1. To encourage more staff and pupils to walk, scoot or cycle to school and thus improve health and fitness. Target Action Time-scale Who by? Resources? Provide shelter for Get quotes for shelters. By March 09 Headteacher parents on wet days Erect shelters. Travel Plan Grant Success Criteria Shelters in place. Review n/a Provide scooter storage 1.Buy suitable shed. 2.Publicise to parents and pupils. By Dec 2008 Headteacher Travel Plan Grant 2.Newsletter Shed in place and being used. n/a To fully support walkto-school initiatives. 1.Publicise walk to school week, etc. 2.Class-based activities to link with such initiatives. Ongoing. Headteacher and staff. Initiatives receive high profile across the school. Continuing initiatives To increase the number of pupils walking, cycling or scooting by 3% to 5%. 1.Introduce Star Challenge on rolling programme (see page 25) Begin in January Headteacher. Booklets and stickers. 5% pupils walking, cycling and scooting. Questionnaires in October Fewer cars in exclusion zone. 2.Publicise new scooter storage. Jan Newsletter. Scooter storage being used. 3.Promotion of keeping fit and being well through PE and Science curricula. Ongoing. To increase the number of staff walking, cycling or carsharing by 2% to 64%. Introduce a fun league with a reward at the end of year for top walker, cyclist and car-sharer book token, etc. Begin in January Staff. 64% staff walking, cycling or carsharing. Questionnaires in October

24 2. To decrease congestion and problems caused by parked cars. Target Action Time-scale Who by? Resources? To alleviate parking Star Challenge Begin in 1.Headteacher. congestion in Dapifer encourage parents to park January Booklets and Drive, Abbey Grove, further from school. stickers. Leeds Smith Drive and Alfred Cope Road. Volunteers to do census. Success Criteria 1.Fewer cars parking in these roads. Review Questionnaires in October Parking census on first Monday of each month? To write a Drivers Charter. 1.Write charter. 2.Circulate charter. 3. Incorporate charter in new prospectus. By Dec Jan Jan Julie Warriner in consultation with working group. Fewer cars parking in these roads Remaining cars parked more considerately. Questionnaires in October

25 3. To improve pupils safety whilst travelling to and from school Target Action Time-scale Who by? Resources? To raise a number of 1.Arrange meeting with By April Julie Warriner and issues with the Town representative of Town members of Council and/or Beds Council. working group. Highways that would improve cycle/ 2.Arrange meeting with By April Julie Warriner and pedestrian routes representative of Beds members of (see list on page 20). Highways. working group. Success Criteria Meeting held, issues explained. Meeting held, issues explained. 95% parents rating journey as safe or fairly safe. Review Questionnaires in October All pupils to understand how to stay safe on the journey to/from school. 1.Stepping Out Safely programme. 2.Passport For Life programme. Ongoing. Ongoing. SOS materials. PFL materials. Annual. Annual. 3.Visits from Road Safety Officer and Lollipop Man. Ongoing. Annual. 4.Discussion of road safety and expectations with pupils before any trip out of school. Ongoing. All staff. Annual. 5.Introduce Bikability programme. Jan 2009 Year 4 s achieving Level 1. Annual. To get pupils and parents to dismount from scooters and cycles in the main playground. Remind pupils and parents of this rule. Put up signs in playground. Jan 2009 Jan 2009 Headteacher and staff. Newsletter. Signage. Cyclists dismount. Signs erected. Designate area beyond double lines as scootering space. Jan 2009 Scooting only in designated area. 25

26 Star Challenge The Star Challenge is an incentive based scheme developed by Bedfordshire County Council to encourage and reward children for travelling to school in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. This can include cycling, using the bus or train, walking, carsharing, scooting or a walking bus. The children walk an agreed distance which is set by the school and have a Star Challenge book, which is stamped each time they come to school in an approved way. After 20 stamps have been achieved an achievement certificate is presented to them along with an official reward letter which entitles them to a free swim at a participating leisure centre. The scheme fits well with the School Travel Initiative and aims to encourage children to walk for a sufficient period of time for it to become a habit. Benefits which can be gained from participating in the scheme include: Reducing car trips to and from school Becoming more healthy and active Reducing pollution and congestion Promoting all sustainable travel modes as a realistic alternative to the car Develop greater knowledge of the local area/environment Making travelling to school more fun and rewarding Helping to reduce stress levels in the mornings An exclusion zone has been identified, as an appropriate minimum distance from which to start journeys and to earn a star. See map area highlighted in pink. (The map below shows the area within a 1 mile radius of the school.) 26

27 IV. Monitoring and Evaluation This travel plan will be incorporated into Robert Peel s School Development Plan and monitored annually in October by the governing body. Following approval of the School Travel Plan, it becomes mandatory that the school returns the school travel information for the annual school census. The survey data for this is usually collected in the Autumn term and finally submitted in January. The Head Teacher and Governors will review the School Travel Plan annually each Autumn term. As part of this review the Action Plan will be monitored and amended as necessary depending on the success of the actions outlined. Any changes in pupil travel needs will be considered and the Travel Plan will be revised as necessary. The Head Teacher will incorporate any appropriate actions into the School Development Plan. V. Capital Grant The capital grant will go towards provision of scooter storage and of canopies to provide shelter for parents and children on wet days. VI. Approval and Sign Off... Date: Mr N Shaw School Travel Adviser... Date: Mr D Saunders Head Teacher... Date: Mrs J Warriner Chair of Governors... Date: Mr M Newsam Director of Children s Services... Date: Mr R Watts Director of Environment Beds CC VII. Appendices A. Article in Biggleswade Chronicle B. Questionnaires C.Letters 27

28 Appendix A Article in Biggleswade Chronicle Published Date: 24 September 2008 By Bertie Rapkin Sandy council behind Robert Peel Lower's sustainable travel ideas Councillors voted to support a Sandy school's plan to improve school journeys at a town council meeting on Monday. Robert Peel Lower School is currently putting together a School Travel Plan which aims to promote sustainable travel and improve the general level of health among its pupils. And as part of the process, the school has asked the town council for its support in the scheme and to offer any suggestions it may have. Sandy Town Clerk Sue Foster said: "The town council voted to support Robert Peel Lower School's idea of a School Travel Plan, and we have offered our support and help to the school in any way we can. "The council is always very keen to back initiatives that will help reduce the use of motor vehicles in Sandy, and therefore congestion." A statement released by Robert Peel Lower School said: "The School Travel Plan will look at issues associated with the journey to school and will aim to reduce car use and congestion through the promotion of sustainable travel, whilst improving the general levels of safety, health and fitness. "Central to the promotion of sustainable travel is raising awareness of the alternatives to travel by car through encouraging walking, cycling or taking public transport. In addition pupils need to be provided with the skills to travel independently, confidently and safely." The plan ties in with proposals for a new cycle network in Sandy to encourage more people to get on their bikes. In October last year officials from Beds County Council revealed they plan to spend 150,000 a third of their total cycling budget creating new routes to ride in the town. The network will include commuter routes criss-crossing each of Sandy's four main roads plus several 'quiet and school' routes in the surrounding streets. It has been revealed that of the 2,000 Sandy children that attend lower and middle school, only 3 per cent cycle while 24 per cent are taken in a car. 28