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The School Run

Deciding on how to make the journey to school depends on many different factors for both parents and pupils and taking the car is often seen as the ‘easiest’ option. However, we are all familiar with problems associated with the ‘school run’ such as traffic congestion, air pollution and parking issues around schools.

Connecting Wiltshire is actively promoting ways to encourage people to travel to school by sustainable modes of transport such as walking, cycling or public transport. Many people do not realise that the average journey to primary school is only 1.5 miles, a distance that could easily be walked or made by bike.

There are a number of reasons why schools may want to consider how their students, staff, parents/guardians and visitors travel to and from their establishments. These might include:

  • Problems with parking (either on or off-site)
  • Problems with school gate congestion
  • Concerns about safety of students
  • Concerns about the health of students
  • Lack of awareness about the benefits of using a range of different travel options
  • Lack of facilities to encourage the use of all modes of transport
  • Opportunities to link travel to school with carbon emissions and global warming within the curriculum

Find out about free transport entitlements for under 16 year olds, and subsidised travel for 16-19 year olds at the Wiltshire Council website.

Download the Highway Code for young road users, containing helpful tips about walking, cycling, riding in cars, using the bus, horse-riding and walking with dogs.

The Connecting Wiltshire journey planner and the walkcyclerail and drive pages contain information which can help you plan the school journey by sustainable modes of transport.

Further information for schools and parents

Help your friends travel simpler

#travelmadesimple@ConnectingWilts