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TASK (Travel Awareness School Kit)
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Why do we need Safer Routes to School projects?
Click on the consequences for more information.
Click here to download a pdf version of this page (including references)
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LESS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Although it is recommended that children exercise for at least 1 hour a day activity levels are falling. Three out of ten boys and four out of ten girls do not meet the target .
"The contribution of the school journey to children’s physical activity is important. Research by University College London showed that among the Year 8 pupils sampled, more calories were burned up walking to and from school than during their two hours of weekly PE lessons".
This reduction in activity can be attributed to “greater use of cars to transport children, even on short journeys; parental reluctance to let children play out; restricted licence for children to act independently; increased access to television, computers and other sedentary alternatives that attract children”.
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RISING LEVELS OF OBESITY
There is a rise in obesity and related illnesses amongst children. Child obesity has tripled over the last 20 years. In 2002 around 16% of children in England under 15 were estimated to be obese .
“We will have delivered if we halt the year-on-year rise in obesity among children under 11 by 2010…” (From the Public Health White Paper )
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RISING LEVELS OF ASTHMA AMONGST CHILDREN
Asthma is the most common chronic disease of childhood and it is on the increase in developed countries. Around one in seven children in the UK have asthma. Six times more than 25 years ago .
A Nottingham survey found that secondary school children living within 30 metres of an A or B road are twice as likely to wheeze as children living 120 metres away from a main road .
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INCREASED CONGESTION AND POLLUTION
There has been a ten fold increase in cars on the UK roads since 1955.
Traffic is growing at a rate of between 1 & 2% a year. 2003 and 2004 saw record levels of new car registration.
In the mid 1990s around one in five cars on urban roads at 8.50am were estimated to be taking children to school.
The average speed on roads in London has dropped to that of a horse and cart.
The rising number of vehicles is offsetting any reduction in emissions due to catalytic converters and other measures .
Air quality inside cars can be poorer inside the car than out (up to three times worse) .
The cost of congestion is estimated to be around £20 billion a year.
8.3 million pupils nationally and around 74,000 in Cornwall travel to and from school every day (by all forms of transport).
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PROBLEMS AT THE SCHOOL GATE
Increased journeys to school by cars result in chaos and perceived danger outside the school at the beginning and end of the school day. Local residents get annoyed, teachers have to spend time refereeing disputes or trying to stop parents parking inappropriately. Parents complain about the dangers to their children.
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PARENTS TIED TO THE SCHOOL RUN
In the 1970’s seven out of ten seven year olds made their own way to school. Today less than one in ten do .
People most likely to be taking children to school are women in their thirties, an average mother of two children may devote nearly an hour each day to escort duties. Almost two thirds (65%) of escorts return straight home afterwards, only about one in eight go on to work .
Other impacts include missing out on the social aspects of the school gate chat, missed opportunities of an informal chat with the teacher about the child’s progress, children being dropped off at school earlier and earlier.
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AN OPPORTUNITY LOST FOR TALK
Between parents and children…
…about what the day might hold, what is going on around them on the journey, the places and people in their environment and possible opportunities for learning.
Between children and their friends…
…Children themselves say that they want to walk because it is fun, sociable and healthy
In a recent survey children reported that they “…see the school run as a great way to be sociable, with nearly half (47%) saying that meeting up with and talking to friends is the best thing about walking or biking to school…”
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FEAR
57% of parents cite traffic danger and 44% cite fear of assault as reasons why they take their children to school by car.
This fear is often transmitted to the children themselves, reducing their confidence and limiting the opportunities to build their confidence by learning valuable skills via independent travel.
When asked about what they fear children said they worried a lot about :
· bullying
· being mugged (especially for mobile ’phones)
· traffic accidents
· being kidnapped or abducted
· becoming ill because of lack of exercise and poor diet
This growing fear may actually make the environment more dangerous i.e. more traffic and therefore more risk to walkers and cyclists . Children also recognise that fewer people of their own age around on the streets can add to their sense of being at risk.
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LESS STREETWISE CHILDREN
Compared with 20 years ago children are now typically two years older before they achieve a given level of independent mobility with a consequent effect on their physical and social development.
If children are driven or escorted everywhere, where do they get the opportunity to develop adult coping skills? Unless they learn early on about making decisions for themselves they may be more at risk.
Our children are becoming more and more risk averse rather than being given the chance to learn how to recognise, assess and manage risk.
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LOSS OF INDEPENDENCE
The ability to explore the local environment independently is associated with the development of important life skills where children can begin to take decisions and accept responsibility for themselves .
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IMPACT ON SELF ESTEEM AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
There is increasing concern about children’s behaviour and increasing numbers of children are showing signs of emotional distress.
Primary school age pupils need the security to feel free to play, to experiment and to allow for their curiosity to take them to new discoveries .
On the way to school, children encounter a wide variety of experiences, which may affect their learning, social skills or mental health status and their interactions with situations and people.
Other research has shown that physical activity can enhance psychological well-being and mood and act as a buffer to stress .
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IMPACT ON LEARNING
All of the above could lead to an impact on children’s learning and achievement…
Levels of in-car pollution and lack of exercise could mean children coming to class who are tired and lethargic, with poor concentration levels. Whilst a lack of independence and interaction with the world beyond the car windows may impact on their lifeskills, experiences and imagination.
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HOWEVER
The tide may be changing. Sustrans reports that there is some evidence that the numbers of cars on the school run are falling back… a sign that Safer Routes to School projects and School Travel Plans are winning hearts and minds and leading to a change in attitudes and behaviour.
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