Mode of travel data to support local transport and health policies.
Mode of travel data is still necessary to plan, implement, support and provide evidence of the effectiveness of transport and health policies in schools; we would like to continue to collect it locally using Modeshift Sustainable Travel Accreditation and Recognition for Schools (STARS). You can submit your data at any time during the school year or during Travel Smart week when wall charts are provided for this purpose.
Introducing Modeshift TravelWise Week – 16 - 22 September 2024
Not to be confused with Travel Smart week, which this year will be 16 to 20 October 2024, Modeshift Travelwise Week is part of European Mobility Week which runs from the 16 September 2024 culminating in World Car Free day on 22 September.
Modeshift TravelWise Week is an opportunity to kick start the term with messages to remind pupils and parents to consider how they travel to school and the options for making that journey in a more active and environmentally friendly way.
In appreciation of the fact this campaign is very early in a busy term the PowerPoint attached can be adapted as appropriate for assembly or classroom presentations to highlight key messages and, given that World Car Free day is on a Sunday, schools are just encouraged to hold a Walk, Wheel and Ride today on any day of the week 16 – 20 September, or to consider following the suggested activity of designing a Modeshift STARS or your active travel mascot, which you can use to support your travel plan throughout the year.
We are also aware that the 18 September is National Fitness Day so to avoid ‘initiative overload’ you could combine the two to encourage pupils and parents to travel actively to school by walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling.
A year planner of all the other active travel campaigns is provided along with a briefing sheet as to how to add these to your Modeshift STARS portal to develop your travel plan.
More details about Modeshift STARS can be found on the Modeshift website, where you can also find digital assets for your social media as well as poster and pledge card templates.
Mode of travel survey
The wall chart supplied during Travel Smart week, for each class to record their usual and preferred modes of travel as well as the modes used during the campaign week, can be used to provide your mode of travel data. You only need to submit the usual and preferred modes of travel which can be collected during Travel Smart week or at any other time of the year with as a hands up survey on the Modeshift STARS page.
Data is required annually for at least 80% of pupils and 50% full time staff at school. You only need to supply it once during an academic year.
To submit your data, if your school has not already done so, please register and then log on to the Modeshift STARS website.
Go to the cog button and select ‘add new survey’ to enter the preferred and actual modes of travel. For ease and a single entry you could tally up the figures for the entire school and add them all in one go. In this instance type in “whole school” where it asks for the class name.
Alternatively on your Modeshift STARS school site home page you will also find a unique survey link that can be emailed to each class teacher so they can complete the survey in the classroom if you have the facility for this.
Your data submission is also an important element to contribute to your school travel plan.
Modeshift STARS school travel plans
With high profile stories concerning climate change, air pollution as well as mental and physical wellbeing in the forefront of many people’s minds, one way to bring about a positive change is to think about how we travel.
According to the Bikeability Trust, if just one parent and child chose not to drive to school all year round, this could save almost half a tonne of CO2 being released into the atmosphere. Imagine the impact that could be achieved if every child in your school who is currently driven made an active journey for all or just part of the way!
Fewer car journeys would also contribute to reducing the nitrogen oxides and air pollution particulates associated with traffic as well as alleviating the congestion and aggravation caused by cars parking outside the school gate. Furthermore, encouraging walking, cycling or scooting also provides the opportunity for increased physical activity and improved mental health.
Section 508A of the Education Act places a general duty on local authorities to promote the use of sustainable travel and transport, with further details given in the Department for Education home to school travel and transport guidance.
The authority’s Sustainable Modes of Travel Strategy utilises Modeshift STARS as a means of promoting sustainable travel to school through the development of a travel plan which recognises and rewards schools who have shown excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable and active travel.
Modeshift STARS is a free online tool that any school can adopt. As a starting point it asks you to conduct a simple survey to ascertain the actual and preferred modes of travel to school from which you can develop an action plan of activities and initiatives to reduce the negative impact car travel has.
Some of these initiatives you may already have in place, such as bikeability training, Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, national clean air day and taking part in Travel Smart week.
Modeshift STARS aims to bring all these things together to form a coherent travel plan that demonstrates schools commitment and achievements towards the journey to net zero, reducing air pollution, reducing congestion at the school gate and helping to provide opportunities for increased physical activity.
Travel plans are also often required for planning consent for new school buildings, and the mode of travel data you supply also helps to support wider local transport and health policies.
If you need any help with your Travel Plan please do not hesitate to contact the Sustainable Travel team:
Email: sustainable.travel@derbyshire.gov.uk