School travel plans help to reduce the effects of the 'school run' on congestion and pollution.

• They are an individual school strategy designed to reduce car use on the journey from home to school.
• They encourage walking and cycling as a way of improving children's health and fitness.
• They raise awareness of sustainable transport choices through teaching in the curriculum.
• The whole school community needs to be involved in writing a travel plan as it will be a living document for years to come.

One-off government grants are currently available to schools for completed travel plans. This money can be used to fund schemes such as cycle parking or pedestrian access.

Resources

• The Department for Transport's Sustainable School Travel Database allows access to more than 50 school travel resource areas, including teaching resources.
• Safe Routes To Schools - excellent teaching resources, ideas for cycling and walking initiatives and help with producing travel plans from Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity.
• Living Streets - walking initiatives and campaign material from the Pedestrian Association, the organisation behind Walk to School week.
• Teachernet - school travel plans.

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