Safer routes to
school
Safer Routes to School schemes
have been designed to ensure that school children have a safe
journey both to and from school.
They also encourage the use of more environmentally
friendly modes of transport. Engineering and educational programmes
are implemented into every scheme in order to control the movement
of traffic and develop the road user skills of school
children.
Engineering proposals are designed based on the child casualty
trend at sites that show a high level of risk. All residents of a
Safer Routes to School haven are invited to comment on proposals
before any work is carried out. Proposals might include:
- Traffic calming: road humps/cushions, speed tables
- One way systems
- School entrance treatment: Painted school warning signs on
carriageway
- School Crossing Patrol treatment: Wig-Wags, coloured road
surface, warning signs
Further consultation is carried out after each scheme to
determine how the residents rate its effectiveness and to assess if
any further treatment is required.
A timetable covering relevant road safety topics is established
and taught in all schools within the Safer Routes to School area.
These include modules on general road safety, seatbelt wearing and
in-car safety, dangers of parking outside schools, promotion of
walking and cycling safely and basic skills and on-road cyclist
training. Schools are also encouraged to participate in the
Council's Junior Road Safety Officers scheme and Theatre - in -
Education programme.
Schools are encouraged to continue the work of the Safety
Education Officer through topic work, and are invited to request
further road safety sessions covering school specific problems.
Bridget Smaill is Newham's Senior School Travel Advisor. Contact
her on 020 3373 3753 or by emailing
schooltravelplan@newham.gov.uk.
School
Travel Plans are an integral and important element of all
Newham Safer Routes to Schools schemes.