School travel plan case study overview

Escomb Primary School

Pupils from Escomb Primary School are being encouraged to walk on the school journey on their 'Walk on Wednesday, Walking Bus'. The walking bus is being supported by two local police community support officers and two street wardens. The school council promote the bus and have overseen artwork which has been used to create two large outdoor vinyl banners to promote the campaign.

Lanchester All Saints RCVA Primary School

Pupils from Lanchester All Saints RCVA Primary School enjoy a scenic walk along an old railway path as part of their school walking journey. The walk is part of a Park and Stride scheme which has been set up from the car park of the nearby Lanchester Social Club. The idea for the Park and Stride came from the Lanchester Village Partnership who where keen to reduce traffic congestion around the primary school and suggested that, for those parents who had to drive on the school journey they could use the car park of the local Social Club instead of parking on Kitswell Road.

Lanchester EP Primary School

Lanchester EP Primary School with the support of the Travel Planning team has introduced a whole package of measures to encourage sustainable travel on the school journey. A fully enclosed and lockable cycle parking facility has been installed on the school site along with a waiting shelter for pedestrians to use. The school also promotes a Park and Stride scheme from the Queen's Head Public House car park.      

Leadgate Junior School

Leadgate Junior School council encourages everyone to walk to school on a Friday as part of their 'Stride Out Friday' campaign. Sam's School Travel Awareness Raisers (STARs) record the number of walks completed on a map of Europe, which has sections of fifty miles. The pupils intend to complete enough walks to visit Hungary and Norway on the chart as they have strong ties with schools in these countries through their international work.

From the car park pedestrians walk the rest of the way into school along the old railway lines. The proprietor of Leadgate Social Club gave his support to the idea by granting permission for drivers to use the car park and the Travel Planning team were then asked to create a gated pedestrian entrance from the car park to lead directly onto the railway path.

Moorside Community College

The students at Moorside Community College are enjoying the benefits of cycling on the school journey following the installation of a secure cycle parking facility on their school site. A cycle permit scheme has been set up by the student council, once students sign up to the conditions of the scheme they are awarded with a permit which enables them to use the cycle park. A bicycle user group oversees the cycle permit scheme and the cycle parking facility.  

Moorside Primary School

Measures both on the highway and inside the school grounds have been introduced to assist walkers on the journey to Moorside Primary School. The school with support from Durham County Council's Road Safety team and a walking bus initiative grant from the Department for Transport (DfT) have set up a walking bus from their local housing estate. The bus follows a pre-arranged route collecting pupils as it makes its way into school.

Dropped kerbs and a footpath extension have also been created to help pedestrians cross over the road and once inside the school, pedestrians can take shelter under their umbrella shaped waiting shelter which was funded from the school's travel plan capital grant.

Neville's Cross Primary School

The Lodge car park is the official starting point for the Park and Stride scheme for Neville's Cross Primary School. Parents and carers are encouraged to park in this car park and walk the rest of the way to and from school to reduce traffic congestion on Relly Path. The school have also benefited from having one of their existing school buildings converted into a waiting shelter so that pedestrians have a sheltered area once they arrive at school.

Pittington Primary School

Pupils are Walking on Wednesdays at Pittington Primary School, the school have developed an outdoor vinyl banner and stickers in the theme of walking superheroes to encourage everyone to participate in the scheme. Drivers are being encouraged to park away from the school and walk the rest of the way to ensure all pupils can participate.  

Sherburn Hill Primary School

Sherburn Hill Primary School has launched two walking buses in response to the demands from pupils to walk on the school journey. The school travel planning working group at the school had developed a Walk on Wednesday campaign incorporating a walking bus scheme from the nearby housing estate. The working group were busy organising the launch of their campaign when pupils from the opposite side of the village suggested that they too wanted to participate so another walking bus had to be quickly arranged. The campaign was launched with a special assembly and a quick 'hands up' survey along with the walking bus registers revealed that every child in the school had joined in with the walk to school. To sustain the campaign the working group had secured some free Walk Once A Week resources from Living Streets, pupils use these resources to record their walks on a special card and at the end of the term they are awarded with feet shaped metal pin badges.   

St Chad's RCVA Primary School

Pupils from St Chad's RCVA Primary School, Witton Park have benefited from the creation of a new footpath on their walking bus route. The route had previously involved walking through the crematorium. However, with the addition of the new footpath the route has been amended and the pupils now walk along The Baltic to meet their parents.

St Pius Xth RCVA Primary School

St Pius Xth RCVA Primary School, Consett, used a walking incentive grant secured from the Department for Transport (DfT) to introduce a Park and Stride scheme. Those parents and pupils who pledged to park away from school and walk the rest of the way were rewarded with a high visibility tabard.

West Rainton Primary School

West Rainton Primary School launched their Walking Bus as part of a National Walk to School campaign and it has been going ever since. The walking bus was well received by everyone at the school and operates everyday with support from teaching staff. The bus starts at one end of the village and has a bus stop in the centre next to the shops to enable more pupils to join in. Over a third of the pupils participate in the walking bus scheme.

Woodhouse Community Primary School

Woodhouse Community Primary School holds the record for having one of the most successful walking buses in the county, not only is it the only walking bus to operate on both a morning and afternoon but it is also one of the longest running walking buses. In fact the walking bus has been so successful the school have recently set up another Walking Bus.