Release date: 3 September 2021
As schools, parents and pupils start the autumn term in West Sussex, we’re encouraging everyone to think about the school run.
We’re also encouraging college and university students, together with the wider travelling public, to rethink how they travel.
By taking small steps and thinking active travel first, many people could have the opportunity to make their journeys greener, healthier, safer and more active.
As part of this Department for Transport-funded work, we will be engaging with both schools and the wider public, and sharing key messages, to try to ensure school journeys can run as smoothly as possible.
We’re also:
- Encouraging schools to develop their own travel plans to promote active and sustainable travel choices for school journeys
- Helping parents, carers and pupils/students to think about more active and sustainable transport options for the school run, where possible
- Considering a range of different measures and initiatives to encourage parents and carers to think active travel first for the school run, and make journeys greener, healthier, safer and more active
Joy Dennis, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns have presented us all with significant challenges, but we’ve also seen that many residents across West Sussex have made lots of extremely positive changes, particularly in terms of how they get around.
“Many have rediscovered the benefits of active travel choices, such as walking and cycling, for more journeys in their local area, or simply getting outdoors and active every day. We want to encourage these positive changes, and help residents to make journeys greener, healthier, safer and more active, particularly for the school run.”
Deborah Urquhart, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Active travel is one of the themes we’ve identified to focus on as part of our climate change work. Transport is one of the main contributors to emissions in West Sussex, so I welcome initiatives, such as this, that encourage people to rethink their transport choices if possible.”
To find out more, please visit our web page: www.westsussex.gov.uk/ThinkActiveTravelWestSussex
We’ll also be posting further updates and exciting new campaign content on our social media channels across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
A ‘school gate’ travel improvement programme is also being developed by the County Council as part of its Active Travel initiatives. Proposed improvements will help to reduce reliance on cars, protect school bus travel and promote active travel.
Proposals include:
- a new Toucan crossing on the A283 in Shoreham to support active travel journeys to and from Sir Robert Woodard Academy
- a new signalised crossing adjacent to The Gatwick School, Gatwick Road, Crawley
- upgrading the signalised crossing on the B2116 Keymer Road, Hassocks, to a Toucan crossing and providing a shared cycleway footway on Dale Avenue to support active travel to Downlands School. This is part of a wider scheme which is devised to improve cycling provision from Sayers Common to Hassocks
- safety training for students who missed out on training during lockdowns via Bikeability courses
- targeted one-to-one training for adults wanting to improve their cycling confidence
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