REPORT AGENDA ITEM 9 LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL HIGHWAYS FORUM FOR HARBOROUGH 7TH MARCH 2012 SCHOOL TRAVEL PLANS – UPDATE REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT Introduction 1. To update Members of the Forum on the delivery of School Travel Plans. Background 2. The County Council has been working with schools to develop travel plans through successive Local Transport Plans (LTP) since April 2000. School Travel Plans (STP) aim to reduce the number of cars arriving at the school gate, by supporting initiatives, with schools, to improve the safety and convenience of non-car travel. 3. The Leicestershire County Council Scrutiny Review Panel on Home to School Transport made a number of recommendations in 2010. These included continued support for STPs, walking buses and opportunities for Councillors to get more involved, helping schools in their patch. The Council under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 continues to have a duty, to promote sustainable travel to school. Progress to Date 4. 83.75% of schools currently have a STP in place (21/12/2011). The remaining schools which are developing or have yet to commit to developing a STP, are found in Appendix A . 5. The County Council has continued to encourage the review of STP and that schools share their reviews, with us. A STP Review template and supporting guidance for schools has been developed. They can get this from the County Council’s website. In the past year, 9 schools have completed a review of their STP. Approximately 40 more, in development, are listed in Appendix B . 6. Schools have and continue to be offered programmes that can support their work to encourage more sustainable travel: • Approximately 216 Advisory 20 m.p.h. zones and a further 8 created by year- end • Physical infrastructure improvements, for example crossings, way marking schemes and signed cycle routes • 46 schools across the county have got grants for cycle or mini-scooter parking, in the last 3 years. A further 19 will install parking in 2011/12 • At 62 primary schools, Star Travel, an incentive-based scheme to encourage walking, cycling, car sharing and bus use • 25 Walking bus routes associated with primary schools, most of which operate throughout the week 1 E:\moderngov\data\published\Intranet\C00000709\M00003431\AI00030724\$zyf11vpi.doc Programme Outcomes 7. An indicator of success is positive change in the type of travel to school, by children. It is monitored by the percentage of pupils travelling by car (as sole passenger) aged 5- 15. The table below shows how well we did. Mode of travel to Leicestershire schools 06-07 07-08 08-09 09-10 10-11 Base LTP Target 26% 25% 24% 23% Actual 26.2% 25.5% 24.6% 23.5% 23.75% The Council has a target to reduce this, to 21.5% by 2016. However, for 2011/12, the intention is to seek to maintain last year’s level. The reasons for this short-term target are related to: • Changes to school transport (historical and other policy exceptions) • Schools becoming academies which may change the influence the Council has on travel at those schools, in the short term. Future Development 8. In the future, new STPs and reviews will be developed using the co-ordinated ‘Choose How You Move’ message; saving money, improving health, saving time and protecting the environment. Parents, pupils and staff will be encouraged to use more sustainable modes of travel, for more of their journeys. 9. Support to all schools will primarily be through web-based resources now available. Primarily, an area-based approach and solutions will be taken to help solve problems on the surrounding transport network. Schools with the highest numbers of cars carrying children, within these areas, will be prioritised for help. Outside targeted areas, low- level support will be offered, to all schools, via the Council’s web pages. 10. In 2012/13, remaining commitments for ‘safe routes to schools’ (SRS) works are expected to be completed e.g. • Advisory 20 mph zones • Traffic calming • Works to walking and cycling routes Following that, there will not be a specific SRS programme; but infrastructure needs identified through STP will feed into the overall Active and Sustainable Travel programme. 11. This report focuses on the change of approach that is being adopted for STP as a result of Local Transport Plan 3 (LTP3). A report will be submitted to the next Highway Forum, which will give an update on the LTP3 approach and the refreshed LTP3 implementation plan. Equal Opportunities Implications 12. Measures to address school travel are specifically designed to reduce road danger or improve access for vulnerable road users, particularly pedestrians, cyclists, disabled people, and the very old and very young. 2 E:\moderngov\data\published\Intranet\C00000709\M00003431\AI00030724\$zyf11vpi.doc Recommendation 13. It is recommended that Members note the contents of this report. Officer to Contact Jonathan O’Farrell Tel: 0116 305 0001 School Travel Plan Co-ordinator Email: [email protected] Background Papers 2010 Scrutiny Review Panel on Home to School Transport - recommendations 3 E:\moderngov\data\published\Intranet\C00000709\M00003431\AI00030724\$zyf11vpi.doc APPENDIX A (15th. Feb. 2011) Schools which have not developed a travel plan, to adoption by L.C.C. D.f.E. No. Working Blaby Schools towards STP? Thurlaston C of E Primary School 3320 NO PRIVATE Oakwood School 6021 NO PRIVATE Brook House Day School 6023 NO 5-14 Short Stay School (PRU) 1102 YES Countesthorpe Nursery School 1000 NO D.f.E. No. Working Charnwood Schools towards STP? Birstall Riverside Community Primary School 2368 NO Loughborough Ashmount School 7006 YES Loughborough de Lisle Catholic School 4601 YES Thurmaston Bishop Ellis Catholic Primary School 3345 NO Thurmaston Church Hill Infant School 2110 NO PRIVATE Ratcliffe College 6001 NO PRIVATE Trinity College 6025 NO Woodhouse Eaves Maplewell Hall School YES D.f.E. No. Working Hinckley and Bosworth Schools towards STP? Barwell Infant School 2049 NO Stanton-under-Bardon Community Primary School 2070 NO Hinckley Mount Grace High School 4010 YES Hinckley St Mary's C of E Primary School 3042 YES Markfield Mercenfeld Primary School 2069 YES PRIVATE Dixie Grammar School 6004 NO PRIVATE Twycross House School 6006 NO PRIVATE Twycross House Pre Prep School 6014 NO PRIVATE Jamia Islamia (Islamic Studies Centre) 6015 NO PRIVATE The Cedars 6022 NO PRIVATE Sketchley Horizon 6026 NO PRIVATE Hazel House 6027 NO PRIVATE Peckleton School 6029 NO 1 E:\moderngov\data\published\Intranet\C00000709\M00003431\AI00030724\$zyf11vpi.doc APPENDIX A (15th. Feb. 2011) Schools which have not developed a travel plan, to adoption by L.C.C. D.f.E. No. Working Harborough Schools towards STP? Market Harborough St Joseph's Catholic Primary 3347 NO Market Harborough The Robert Smyth Academy 4003 YES Hallaton Church of England Primary School 3107 NO Husbands Bosworth C of E Primary School 3046 YES Thurnby Fernvale Primary School 2149 YES PRIVATE Brooke House College (Boarding School) 6005 NO PRIVATE Stoneygate School 6002 NO PRIVATE Claybrook Cottage School 6028 NO D.f.E. No. Working Melton Schools towards STP? Ab Kettleby Community Primary School 2000 NO Bottesford Belvoir High School & Comm Centre 4036 NO Hose Church of England Primary School 3043 YES Long Clawson C of E Primary School 3053 NO Melton Mowbray Birch Wood (Comm Special School) 7215 YES Melton Mowbray The Long Field High School 5400 NO Somerby Primary School 2094 NO PRIVATE The Grange Therapeutic School 6010 NO D.f.E. No. Working N.W.L.D.C. Schools towards STP? Albert Village Community Primary School 2006 YES Belton Church of England Primary School 3010 NO Breedon St Hardulphs C of E Primary School 3016 NO PRIVATE Manor House Preparatory School 6003 NO PRIVATE Grace Dieu Manor School 6007 NO PRIVATE Lewis Charlton School 6020 NO D.f.E. No. Working Oadby and Wigston Schools towards STP? South Wigston High School 5402 YES Wigston Magna Bushloe High School 5401 YES 2 E:\moderngov\data\published\Intranet\C00000709\M00003431\AI00030724\$zyf11vpi.doc APPENDIX B (15th. Feb. 2012) Schools which have reviewed their travel plan or are receiving support to do so D.f.E. No. Reviewed or Blaby Schools Working Towards Reviewed Narborough The Pastures Primary School 2380 21/12/11 Blaby Stokes C of E Primary School 3012 Working Towards Enderby Brockington College 4506 Working Towards Countesthorpe Community College 4050 Working Towards Braunstone Kingsway Primary School 2181 Working Towards Whetstone Badgerbrook Primary 2170 Working Towards D.f.E. No. Reviewed or Charnwood Schools Working Towards PRIVATE Reviewed Fairfield School 6000 14/12/11 PRIVATE Reviewed Loughborough High School 6009 14/12/11 PRIVATE Reviewed Loughborough Grammar School 6012 14/12/11 Reviewed Quorn St Bartholomew's C of E Primary School 3070 15/09/11 Reviewed Loughborough Mountfields Lodge School 2194 15/04/2010 Reviewed Syston The Merton Primary School 2161 03/03/2011 Reviewed Barkby The Pochin School 3006 29/11/2010 Mountsorrel Christ Church & St Peter's C of E Primary 3211 Working Towards Barrow Humphrey Perkins High School 4000 Working Towards Loughborough Holywell Primary School 2331 Working Towards Birstall Longslade Community College 4039 Working Towards Birstall The Stonehill High School 4029 Working Towards Queniborough C of E Primary School 3069 Working Towards Loughborough Thorpe Acre Infant School 2120 Working Towards Loughborough Thorpe Acre Junior School 2116 Working Towards Loughborough Robert Bakewell Primary School & CC 2192 Working Towards Loughborough Outwoods Edge Community Primary 2169 Working Towards D.f.E. No. Reviewed or Hinckley and Bosworth Schools Working Towards Hinckley Battling Brook Community Primary School 2162 Working Towards Markfield South Charnwood High School 4018 Working Towards Burbage Hastings High School 4026 Working Towards Congerstone Primary School 2090 Working Towards Groby Brookvale High School 4051 Working Towards 1 E:\moderngov\data\published\Intranet\C00000709\M00003431\AI00030724\$zyf11vpi.doc APPENDIX B (15th.