Travel Plan 2016-17

Report on Summer Term 2017

This term started with the annual Haddenham Schools’ Travel Plan Competition, which this year took the form of a photo competition. Our two winners were very clever and showed dangers for pedestrians and cyclists in the village. Congratulations to Isaac Smith and Clara White, both of 4S, who will receive small prizes at the next travel assembly.

Photos of all our school travel activities can be found on the school website click photos, travel plan events.

Parents’ Travel Survey

This was the sixth parents’ travel survey since 2004 and the first carried out using Survey Monkey. 66 parents replied, representing 80 children, 29% of school roll. The survey sample showed a representative proportion of children living in the village (64%) but a slightly larger proportion of older children than in the school population.

Parents were asked how children travelled to school on the day of the survey. This showed -

• Children living in Haddenham - 43% walked all the way, a further 17% walked part of the way, 16% scooted in, none from this sample cycled and 24% were driven all the way to school.

• Children living outside Haddenham - 17% walked part of the way, 4% (1 child) travelled by taxi, none by bus and the rest (79%) were driven all the way.

• Overall 27% children walked all the way to school, 11% children scooted, 1% travelled by taxi, none by bus, 17% walked part of the way and 44% travelled all the way by car.

Patterns emerging from the comparison with previous surveys (see full report) are –

• The percentage of children walking all the way to school has fallen, offset to some extent by the percentage scooting

• The percentage of children walking part of the way to school has fallen

• The percentage of children travelling to school by bus has fallen (from 15% in 2004 to nothing now).

• The percentage of children travelling all the way by car has risen

• Almost a quarter of children living in Haddenham are now driven all the way to school

From the question asking parents what prevents their children travelling to school in the way they prefer, which is always a more sustainable way, the main reasons for these results were –

• live too far away (25% now, including one person living in Haddenham! 47% in 2004)

• parents going on to work (23% now, 9% in 2004)

• safety issues, especially for cyclists (19% now 7% in 2004)

• general time constraints and taking siblings to another school (19% now, 6% in 2004)

The first three of these reasons were already becoming issues in 2008 and 2010. Other factors are lack of school bus or expense of buses, and weather (a particular focus in 2004!).

Parents were asked about car share (currently 11% of families travelling all the way by car). The two main reasons for not trying car share are not knowing anyone in the same area and time constraints, which is also affected by having children at different schools and going on to work afterwards. In practice, there is little scope for car share other than for families living in Aylesbury and Stone and it is likely that most families wishing to car share already do so.

Parents were asked where they park. A considerable proportion (26%) still park at the tennis courts car park. Other parking is fairly well spread between Churchway, Village Hall car park and shops. Three people recorded parking at the Health Centre (which is not allowed) but only one owned up to parking in Roberts Road, where residents regularly complain about inconsiderate parking!

There were two questions to try and find out why parents didn’t park further away from school so their children could walk part of the way and what would encourage them to do so. The first question was only answered by 20 people and time constraints and parent going on to work were the most common replies, whereas improved safety of routes to school would most encourage parents to park further away.

Finally, parents were asked how effective they think Walk on Wednesdays and Big Pedal are at encouraging walking, cycling and scooting to school. Opinion was fairly divided, with marginally more thinking the schemes have little or no effect. The children are much more positive and are normally keen to take part.

There was space at the end for parents to write comments about travel to school. Parents are most concerned about safety issues as they feel that there is a lot of traffic, often going too fast. This makes it particularly dangerous for children cycling to school and six parents asked for better cycle routes/cycle lanes in the village. Three parents thought a speed limit of 20 mph would help. The remaining comments covered a wide range of points of which parking was the most common.

The focus of the survey this year related to a Bucks CC Select Committee set up to inquire into the use of cars to get children to school and to see how schools can encourage people to adopt more sustainable travel options and reduce car use for the school journey.

Relating the results of the 2017 parents’ survey back to questions from Bucks CC –

Challenges and barriers to reducing car use for the school journey are -

• a high proportion (36%) of children live outside the village with no school bus,

• almost a quarter of parents go on to work (23%)

• general time constraints, including taking siblings to other schools (19%)

• safety concerns for walking and particularly cycling (19%)

Opportunities to encourage reduced car use for the journey to school are -

Comparing parents’ surveys with the annual Pupils’ Hands-up Surveys, it is clear that children are much more keen to travel to school in a sustainable way. They are also much more enthusiastic about our competitions such as Walk on Wednesday and Big Pedal. Please support your children as much as possible when they want to take part in Walk on Wednesdays and Big Pedal and encourage them as much as possible to walk, cycle or scoot, at least part of the way to school.

A full report, including detailed comparison with previous surveys, is attached.

Report on Spring Term 2017 

 Our first event after Christmas was a follow-up ‘Be Bright Be Seen’ event – Fluorescent Friday – which took place on Friday 20^th January. The JRSOs gave a presentation to the children beforehand and handed out more than 150 fluorescent stickers on the day. It was good to see that a lot of children have fluorescent vests and other clothing and we hope they’ll continue to wear it when the weather is poor.

In the week before half term, 6th – 10th February, Haddenham Cycle Training provided cycle training for the children. Eleven children took part in Bikeability Level 1 training for two sessions on the school playground and 9 children took part in Bikeability Levels 1 & 2 training, with the first session (level 1) on the playground and the remaining three (Level 2) out on local roads. Angela Matthews, school travel plan co-ordinator helped as a volunteer for one session on each course.

This was the first time that the courses have been held in February and it was exceptionally cold. However, the children were very good and coped with the weather rather better than one or two adults.

Our major event this term was The Big Pedal which is a national competition to encourage cycling and scooting to school. 123 children took part, 45% of school roll. The average numbers over the two week period were 14 cycles and 54 scooters with 22 children cycling on the first day of the competition. Badges are awarded to all children who cycle or scoot every day and are handed out at a travel assembly in the summer term.