School Streets as part of a school travel programme - Birmingham City Council
Published 19 November 2024
Applies to England
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Background
Birmingham City Council has been delivering Car Free School Streets since September 2019 and currently has 18 schools in this programme. It is delivered as part of wider school engagement through the national Modeshift STARS initiative and alongside walking charity Living Streets’ Walk to School programme.
What they did
Woodthorpe Junior & Infant School in south Birmingham joined the scheme in 2020. They were already taking steps to reduce journeys by car by running a Junior PCSO scheme, working with Living Streets to carry out a school route audit, and had achieved their Bronze STARS award.
Since the start of the scheme, car usage has reduced from 36% (2019/20) to 9% (2023/24), and they have now achieved the Platinum STARS award – the highest level available.
Headteacher Ms McGrath said:
The continued activities and promotion of car free streets and active travel has brought about greater knowledge and awareness within our whole school community. It has resulted in road modifications around the area which further protect our children and their families from air pollution, irresponsible parking, and dangerous driving.
Pupils involved in a road audit with Living Streets felt really empowered to see their ideas and contributions for road safety come to fruition. We have more children walking, cycling and scooting to school than ever before because they feel safer to do so.
Results / what happens next
Birmingham City Council recently commissioned the development of an auditing tool to identify and prioritise future locations for car-free school streets. Any schools not suitable for this can still benefit from a package of school travel planning activities through the Modeshift STARS scheme, including various resources and campaigns designed to address issues around traffic congestion and to encourage active travel.