Promoting Active Travel

Promoting active travel in schools offers a multitude of benefits, including increased physical activity, reduced congestion, and improved well-being.

Ideas to encourage active travel in your school:

1. Road and bike safety programs:

   • Deliver road safety programs that educate students about traffic regulations and safe travel practices.
   • Organise bike safety workshops to teach students the importance of wearing helmets and maintaining their bikes.

2. End-of-trip facilities:

   • Provide secure bike racks and storage areas on school grounds to accommodate students' bikes or scooters during the school day.

3. Parent involvement:

   • Engage parents by offering road and bike safety workshops to foster their support for their children's active travel choices.

4. Walking and biking clubs:

   • Establish walking and biking clubs to create a sense of community and fun around active travel to school.
   • Encourage parents to join in on these clubs, further promoting active travel among families.

5. Car-free days:

   • Designate specific days as "car-free" to encourage both students and parents to explore alternative modes of transportation.

6. Bike share programs:

   • Partner with local bike-sharing initiatives to make bicycles more accessible to students.

7. Safe routes to school programs:

   • Collaborate with local authorities to develop and maintain safe routes to school, improving infrastructure like sidewalks and bike lanes.

8. Rewards and incentives:

   • Recognise and reward students for active travel efforts through certificates, small prizes, or other incentives.

9. Community involvement:

   • Engage local businesses and community organisations to support and sponsor active travel initiatives in schools.

10. Data collection:

    • Gather data on active travel participation to track progress and make necessary improvements.

Resources and websites

Road safety education (NSW Government) - Road safety education (nsw.gov.au) 

Ride2School bike education program (NSW) - Bike education program | Ride2School | Bicycle Network 

Rideability bike education program (NSW) - School Bike Ed - Rideability 

Road safety education for primary schools (NSW) - Welcome to Safety Town 

Healthy kids - ActiveTravelResourcesforParentsCarersandCommunities.pdf (nsw.gov.au) 

Young people’s active travel (NSW) - Young people's active travel - Healthy lifestyle programs for primary schools (nsw.gov.au)