Introduction
The council has a statutory duty under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to promote sustainable travel to school, in particular the promotion of sustainable travel and transport modes on the journey to, from, and between schools and other institutions. This booklet, along with other work done within the School Travel and Transport Projects Teams at Brighton and Hove City Council, sets out the delivery of this statutory duty.
How do we travel to school?
There are over 90 schools in Brighton & Hove (including independent schools, free schools, academies and colleges).
The chart below gives a snapshot of how children travelled to school in 2019.
How pupils aged 4 to 16 travelled to school in 2019
Taxi | 1% |
---|---|
School Bus | 1% |
Public Transport | 11% |
Car (including park and stride) | 35% |
Cycling | 2% |
Walking and scooting | 50% |
The Brighton and Hove City Council Mode of Travel to School Survey shows that over a third of children travelled to school by car in 2019, with half of journeys being made on foot, scooting or cycling.
Each year we gather data for how children travel to school across the city. For more information about travelling to school in Brighton and Hove please see our webpages.
What we are working towards
Our main priorities are:
- to encourage families to choose safer, more active and sustainable travel options as an alternative to driving;
- to reduce road traffic, ease congestion and reduce carbon emissions, especially on routes to schools;
- to contribute towards the immediate and long-term health and well-being of children and young people;
- to provide guidance and support to schools which, by updating their School Travel Plan, are actively promoting walking and cycling to school;
- allocating Road Safety resources, (for example cycle, scooter and child pedestrian training) to those schools which, through their School Travel Plan, have highlighted a specific need.
Walking to school
If you don’t walk to school already, why not consider trying it out, or at least walking part of the way? If you need to drive, why not park your car away from the school and walk the last five minutes?
The School Travel and Transport Projects Teams currently run the following schemes across the city, to encourage more walking to school and to help educate children in road safety skills:
Walk to School Campaign
Many schools across the city take part in the Walk to School campaigns which take place twice a year, in May and October. The campaigns are aimed at encouraging children and their families to travel to school more actively.
Park and Stride
‘Park and Stride’ simply means driving some of the way to school, parking away from the
school entrance and walking the rest of the way. ‘Park & Stride’ is particularly good for families who live some distance from school and can’t walk the whole way. It has the added benefit of reducing congestion around the school entrance, making it safer for children to enter their school.
Child Safety Training and Road Safety Resources
This scheme offers road safety skills training to children aged 5-8 in schools. The training takes place in the immediate area around the children’s school. Training is offered to all schools and is free of charge. Bookings are taken annually. All instructors undertake an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. Training can be booked by contacting the Child Safety Training Co-ordinator. You can phone them on 01273 293845.
School Crossing Patrol Service
Come rain or shine, school crossing patrols are there to help you cross the road safely on the journey to and from school. They have been around for over 60 years, and in Brighton & Hove we are proud to have 12 operating at various sites across the city. All School Crossing Patrol Officers undertake an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.
Finding people to do this job is not always easy so if you think you could help, please phone the
School Crossing Patrol Manager on 01273 293847.
School Travel Ambassadors and cycling and scooting to school
School Travel Ambassadors
Helping to bring about positive change.
Schools like to put children at the heart of spreading the word about the importance of having a safe and sustainable journey to school. With this in mind some schools have appointed child School Travel Ambassadors to get involved in travel-to-school related projects. With the city council committed to being carbon neutral by 2030, Travel Ambassadors are increasingly getting involved in initiatives that will reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier, safer and sustainable future.
Sustrans Bike It Project
We are working in partnership with the Public Health Team at Brighton & Hove City Council, to offer the Bike It project. Run by Sustrans, a national charity, Bike It aims to get more young people cycling to school and for other journeys.
Sustrans has two Bike It Officers who work intensively with a number of schools across the city to promote cycling, using a range of initiatives to engage with children and their families.
You can send an email to the Bike It Officers at:
For more information visit the Sustran's website.
Bikeability Cycle Training
Bikeability, a national on-road cycle training scheme, is offered to all schools with children aged 4 to 14. We also offer holiday courses.
All Bikeability training for schools is free but there is a charge for holiday courses. All instructors undertake an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check), and will have successfully completed Bikeability training to the national standard. You can phone the Bikeability Manager by phone on 01273 293847.
Something for the family
Do you want to be confident cycling with your children?
Would you like to learn how to fix your child’s bicycle?
Brighton & Hove City Council offers subsidised cycle training and maintenance courses for anyone over the age of 14.
Scooter Training
Scooting is a fun and safe way to get to school as long as children are aware of a few basic road safety rules. Scooter training has been running in schools since 2010, for Year 2 children aged 6 to 7. The training not only increases skills but also improves confidence, and awareness of other pavement users. All training is free of charge. You can book scooter training by phone on 01273 293847 or 293845
Driving to school
If you need to drive your child to school
For the safety of your child, their friends, and the local community you have a responsibility to park safely, legally and considerately. This means not parking on single or double yellow lines; notdouble parking; not stopping or dropping off on the School Keep Clear yellow zigzags or pedestrian crossing white zigzag lines; not parking on corners or junctions near the school entrance; not blocking driveways.
What can I do instead?
Try ‘Park and Stride’
Park away from the school entrance and walk the last 5 or 10 minutes. Walking half a mile only takes between 8 and 17 minutes. How many calories you burn depends on how fast you walk!
Try a ‘Walking Bus’
Organise a small group of parents to share the walk to school and take it in turns with other parents to do the school-run. You could even combine this idea with Park and Stride.
Walking to school contributes to the recommended daily physical activity for you and your children. It also helps to reduce congestion around the school and improve air quality, providing benefits for everyone.
Try car sharing
If you have to drive to school, why not get together with other parents who need to go by car and car-share?
You could start by doing any of these just once or twice a week.
Child Seatbelts, Child Car Seats, and the Law
If you are driving your child and others to school, it is important that you understand the law on child seatbelts. You can get more information online or phone 01273 292258
Anti-social parking and parking enforcement
Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) patrol areas where illegal and dangerous parking is a potential threat to child safety. Also, they can now issue ‘Postal’ Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) for illegal stopping/parking, including for stopping on School Keep Clears.
The CEO takes photos of the illegally stopped vehicle, and the owner will receive a PCN in the post. To report parking problems outside your school you can phone Parking Enforcement at 03456 035 469. You can also report anti-social driving online.
School Keep Clears
School Keep Clear yellow zigzag markings are located outside many schools in the city. They are there for safety – to ensure clear sight lines for both motorists and children, as well as other road users, outside schools. They create a clear area to cross more safely. There is a ‘No Stopping’ order placed on the zigzags, enforceable at most schools from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except August.
If you stop or park on the markings during these times, you are liable to receive a PCN of £70.
You can view more information and ideas to help prevent anti-social parking on our website.
School travel maps and plans
5 Minute Walking Zones
Families who live within a 5 minute walking zone should be walking or cycling to school if at all possible. Those with longer journeys who choose to drive can be encouraged to park safely outside the 5 minute zone and to walk the last five minutes of their journey. Walking is a great way to improve the general health of
the whole family and will reduce traffic and congestion around the school gate, improving the local environment for the whole community. You can learn more about walking zones on our website.
Walking Zone Maps/ Park and Stride Maps
A ‘Walking Zone Map’ is centred on your school showing 5, 10 and 15 minutes walking distances from the school. The school could also combine this map with good ‘Park and Stride’ locations to create a ‘Park and
Stride Map’. Both maps give a visual nudge to parents/carers, showing how close they may live to school and how little time it may take to walk.
School Travel Plans
A School Travel Plan (STP) sets out how a school will promote safer, active and sustainable travel to school, with the main emphasis on reducing the number of children being driven to and from school. A good STP should be based on consultation with parents, carers, teachers and governors and other local people. An effective school travel plan puts forward a package of measures to:
- reduce the number of vehicles on the journey to school
- improve safety on the journey to school, and
- encourage more active and sustainable travel choices
These measures increase opportunities for healthy exercise, reduce traffic and congestion around the school gate, and improve the local environment for the whole community.
Priority for allocation of Road Safety resources, such as cycle, scooter and pedestrian training, will be given to schools which, through their STP surveys, and associated targets, have highlighted a need for training and resources within their travel plan.
Visit your school’s website or ask at your school office to see a copy of your school’s Travel Plan. Schools can also apply for Modeshift STARS accreditation (Bronze, Silver or Gold) for their STP. Modeshift STARS is the national schools awards scheme which recognises schools that have demonstrated excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel.
Bus, train and school transport
Bus
A free Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company busID smartcard entitles local young people up to the age of 18 to discounted bus fares. Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company also offers a range of other discounts on bus fares along with a number of different ways to pay. For information and to apply for a busID smartcard please visit the Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company website, send them an email at info@buses.co.uk or phone them on 01273 886 200.
A number of other bus companies operate bus routes throughout the city. You can learn more about other bus companies on our website.
Train
There are eight railway stations in the city all located close to residential areas and served by buses. Children younger than 16 pay half fare. 16 to 17 year olds get savings with a 16-17 Saver. For more information visit the National Rail website. You can also phone the Public Transport Team on 01273 292480.
School Transport
The council has a duty to provide free transport between home and school for some children. Entitlement is based on certain criteria including the distance to their appropriate school, low income, attendance at a special school, and some medical reasons. For information on free home to school transport, and assessment for all transport for travel to school, send an email to hometoschooltransport@brighton-hove.gov.uk.
For SEN transport please contact SEN.Team@brighton-hove.gov.uk .
More detailed information is available on the council’s school transport web pages.
Useful contacts at Brighton & Hove City Council
School Travel Team
School Travel Planning,
Safer Routes to School, Walking,
Cycling and Scooter Initiatives
01273 290 561
01273 291 744
01273 292 357
Travel to early years and childcare settings
01273 292 357
Child Road Safety Training
includes Bikeability Cycle Training, Scooter Training, and Child Pedestrian Training.
01273 293847 or 293845
Road Safety Publicity and Initiatives
01273 292 258
Schools Admissions
01273 293 653
Home to School Transport
01273 295 196
Schools’ Parking Enforcement
03456 035 469
Public Transport Team
01273 292 480
Useful websites
Brighton & Hove City Council
- School travel
- Early years travel
- School travel plans
- Transport planning, road safety, other transport projects
- Active Lifestyles
- Anti-social parking near schools
- Information about travelling by bus to secondary school in Brighton and Hove
Active and Sustainable Travel
Road Safety
Walking – school campaigns
Cycle training
Public transport, buses and trains
Brighton & Hove Bus Company
For further information, or to comment on this booklet send an email to Transport.Projects@brighton-hove.gov.uk.