Holm Cultram Abbey School Travel Plan

Holm Cultram Abbey
School
Travel Plan
February 2009
Contents page
1. School details
3
2. Working party – to develop and implement the plan
8
3. Survey and route plotting carried out
9
4. Summary of transport and road safety problems
11
5. Working party recommendations for action
12
6. Targets – specific % targets for modal shift by yearly review
date
12
7. Action plans
13
8. Review of targets
17
9. Cycle count
17
10. Monitoring training
18
11. Comments and notes
19
12. Signed agreement
20
2
Holm Cultram Abbey
School Travel Plan
1 School details
DCSF school reference number
909 0488
Type of school
Primary
Number on roll (including no. of SEN pupils
with a brief description of subsequent impact on
travel)
Number of staff
(It is highly recommended that a supplementary
Travel Plan for staff and other school users is
developed)
Age range of pupils
72, 1 SEN who is provided with specialist transport in the form of a taxi.
12
4 – 11
School contact details
Head teacher
Postcode
Telephone number
Fax
Mrs L McDonald
Abbeytown
Wigton
Cumbria
CA7 4RU
016973 61261
016973 61309
Email address
[email protected]
Address
Website
Working group contact
Name
Address
Telephone number
Email address
Mrs L McDonald
Holm Cultram Abbey CE School
Abbeytown
Wigton
Cumbria
CA7 4RU
As above
As above
3
School situation and use
Abbeytown is a small village equidistant between Wigton and Silloth (6 miles to each). The village has the school, 2
shops, a pub, a church and a Chapel. The location of the school within the village is shown on the map on page 6.
There is a bus service in both directions, but this does not serve the children`s homes. Most families rely on the car
for transport. A large number of lorries, farm vehicles etc use the road and speed restrictions through the village are
not as diligently observed as they could be. The nearest railway station is in Wigton, 10 miles away and it is not
feasible to use the train as a method of transport to access the school.
The road the school is situated on is a main road and is used by a number of haulage firms who are located in the area.
The road also serves heavy goods vehicles to and from the port of Silloth and industry based in Silloth.
Although there are pedestrian paths in the village itself, these do not extend beyond the village boundaries. There are
a number of Rights of Way and the Cumbria Coastal way touches the village, but non provide viable access routes to
walk to school. There are no designated cycle paths although an on road section of the Hadrian cycleway (NCN72)
does pass through the village
A number of our children live in outlying hamlets or farms, and the roads are not safe for travel to school other than
by car, bus or taxi. There is an estate of mainly social housing where a number of children live. This is within walking
distance, and involves crossing the busy road. There are a number of families who choose to send their children to the
school but who do not live in the catchment area. Traveling distance is up to 10 miles for families in this group. There
is in most cases no regular public transport service provided and therefore transport by car is the only option.
4
There is no playground in the village, but there is an area designated as recreation ground. This has no play equipment
and is used mainly by the football club. We have no school crossing patrol.
There is a small car park, with room for 6 cars, for staff. The school has two entrances both is directly on to the main
road.
Vehicle access point
Pedestrian entrance
Normal school hours are from 9:00am until 3:30pm with an after school club until 4:30pm.
The local community use the recyling bins situated within the school parking area.
Appendices to support the information in this section include:
1a) Bus routes ( Abbeytown highlighted).
1b) Bus timetables (Abbeytown highlighted).
1c) Bus stops within Abbeytown.
1d) Rights of Way and NCR72 (Hadrian Cycleway)
1e) Routes used by children to get to school, from the route plotting
5
School Location map
Holm Cultram Abbey School ,
Abbeytown
Aims
Taking into account the individual needs of the school and that many of the children with walk to school or come on
the school bus, the emphasis of this plan is to be on safe travel and the benefits of travel choice on personal health.
Personal Health
•
•
•
To improve pupils health and fitness levels
To improve road and personal safety awareness
To contribute to pupils` health and personal development by encouraging increased levels if walking, cycling
and public transport use so that they carry such habits into adulthood
Safe Travel
•
•
To equip pupils with knowledge and skills needed to walk, cycle and use public transport safely
To engender a responsibility attitude, in all members of the school community, towards the safety of
themselves and others using the roads
Objectives (linked to Working Group recommendations - Section 5 and
Actions Section 7)
A Working Group was set up to bring together those with local knowledge, technical expertise and those who
access the school to guide and advise the school during the process of developing this plan.
The objectives in line with the Aims follow two main themes though in several cases they will further Aims from
both themes.
Personal Health
1)
2)
3)
4)
Increase travel and health awareness
Increase walking and cycling facilities
Link the school travel plan to the healthy school initiative
Include in school prospectus and policy
Safe Travel
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Provide cycle training
Provide pedestrian training
Include travel to school items in fortnightly newsletter
Start and support a walking bus
Priority measures for school buses
A covered waiting area for parents within the school grounds
Walk to school campaigns such as Walk on Wednesdays, Walk to School Week
Integrate sustainability and healthy travel issues into the curriculum. May include
Safe route planning in geography
Survey analysis in Mathematics/ICT
Publicity and promotional work in English and Drama
Exploring risk management, health and citizenship in PSHCE
Teach pupils how to read public transport timetables in English lessons
2 Working party – to develop and implement the plan
Name
Position
Responsibility within working party
Linda McDonald
Graham Little
Betty Franklin
David Davidson
Pat Ackred
Sandra Harrison
Andrew Butler
Headteacher
Parish Council
BWTS
Governor
Neighbourhood Forum
Extended Schools coordinator
CCC Highways Area Engineer
Kevin Cosgrove
Capita Symonds - Highways
Travel Plan coordinator
Support and advice
Support and advice
Support and advice
Link to Community Travel Plan
Support and advice
Highways Advice and link to
Community Travel Plan
Highway Advice
How were people consulted? (e.g. working party meetings, surveys of pupils and staff, newsletters)
Appendix
no.
2a
Name/position
Subject/how the consultation took place
Date
Parents
Survey
July 08
Children
On line Survey
5th September 08
2b
Children
Route Plotting
1st July 08
1e
Working Group
Members
Two meetings were held.
Those Working Group Members that could not attend
meetings were updated by telephone or an email with
meeting notes attached.
Mrs Macdonald held informal discussions with the School
Council whilst she was compiling the Draft and Final Travel
Plan.
29th September 08
&
3rd December 09
2c
School Council
November 2008
to January 2009
N/A
8
3 Survey and route plotting carried out
Results and analysis from BWTS website,
Baseline Data Survey – From the on-line surveys – full survey results in appendix 2a
How do you travel to school?
Year
Date of
survey
(dd/mm)
No.
of
pupils
No.
2008
5th Sept
56
11
Bus
Car/Van
%
19
No.
20
%
36
Car Share
No.
1
%
2
Cycling
No.
0
%
0
Rail
No.
0
Walk
%
0
No
23
%
41
Taxi
No
%
1
2
How would you like to travel to school?
Year
2008
Date of
Survey
(dd/mm)
No.
of
pupils
No.
5th Sept
38
3
Bus
Car/Van
%
8
No.
3
%
Car Share
No.
%
8
Cycling
No.
16
%
42
Rail
No.
1
Walk
%
2
No.
12
%
32
Taxi
No.
%
3
8
Survey Notes
60% of children either walk or use the school bus to get to school.
A number of those using the car live outside the catchment area with no public transport links from home to the
school.
In their preferred choices the children express a desire to use their bikes and as expressed in the route plotting use
their bikes at home, but heir parents are not comfortable with them using them further afield.
The surveys also indicated that 70% of children in years 3 to 6 would like more cycle training. 25% said they did not
wear cycle helmets whilst cycling.
There are no rail links to the village.
Only Y3-6 asked the questions about how you would like to travel to school.
Key issuses highlighted in the parents survey are listed below: Survey questions an analysis in Appendix 2a
Factors affecting your decision whether or not to let your child walk, or make you happier if child already walks to
school.
No. times chosen
Safe Crossing facilities on busy roads
8
Vehicle speed reducing measures
8
Knowing that other children were also walking or cycling
4
Knowing that there was an adult walking the same route to accompany some children
6
More road safety education, cycle training for children.
4
More cycle training for children
5
More information on the health and environmental benefits of walking and cycling
1
Other - Knowing there was an adult cycling the same route to accompany some children
1
Comments made:
Vehicles travelling too fast.
Have to travel by car as live too far away.
Route too dangerous to walk or cycle alone.
9
Route Plotting Data
A summary of the large maps used in the route plotting and the smaller maps used by children from within the village
are in Appendix 1e.
Route Plotting
Year
Date of route plotting
2008
Tuesday 1st July 2008
Year Groups
No. of pupils
4&5
20
Route Plotting Notes (e.g. comments made by pupils / any results found)
The children worked in groups of 2 or 3, those from outside the village using the larger A0 maps and those from within
the village the detailed A4 plans.
9 walked to school – all from with Abbeytown, 5 came by car, 1 by taxi , 5 by Bus
The school is serviced by 2 buses 1 from the Silloth area and the other from rural settlements in the Highlaws, Aldoth
and Mossend area. Children from each run took part in the route plotting. Those traveling by bus liked to travel on the
bus as they could talk to friends on the way to school.
Although no children came by bike a number used their bikes to visit friends around their homes away from the busy
main road, the B5302. They also said their parents were reluctant to let them go out alone because of the fear of
strangers.
Issues highlighted by the children during route plotting:
Busy roads with lots of cars and lorries (x6)
Car speed through the village (x4)
Crossing the road
Cyclists
Parking in the village
Parking outside the shop
Parking outside the school
Grass on the pavement
Dips in the road, restrict visibility (x2)
Tractors (x2)
Cows on the road
Strangers
•
•
•
Taxi drops off in the school car park, there is no safe route through the car park
Areas explored more fully in discussion by the working group included
Walk routes within the village:
• At the bend by the pub the B5307 (Abbey Road) joins the B5302 as well as lane leading to the assembly rooms.
Children from Friars Garth the main residential area of the village need to cross here.
• B5302 towards Wigton, there is pavement only on 1 side of the road so children from the Swinsty Farm area need
to cross when they leave the side road
• Speed of traffic (from parents` survey)
• Knowing an adult is walking with the children (from parents` survey)
I child with SEN has specialist transport in the form of a taxi.
An analysis of collisions within 2 kilometers of the school in the last 3 years showing 1 serious and 2 slight accidents.
Although no children were involved the Working Group felt that this would influence parental decisions on allowing
their children to travel to school independently, especially by bike. See Appendix 3a
10
4 Summary of transport and road safety problems
Current problems on routes to school, and reasons preventing sustainable travel to school,
including how these problems have been identified and when
The issues highlighted from the research carried out are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Busy main road
No safe cycleway
Fast traffic, with a high number of large vehicles.
The school already has zig zag lines, larger signs with yellow borders, flashing lights and slow markings on the
carriageway.
Distance from school – outlying areas, no safe cycleway or footpath between outlying areas and the village
Commitments to other activities eg dropping off at school on the way to work, picking up after school for
outside events etc
No public transport that links the school to where the children live.
Children living outside catchment area need to travel by car
We already do a several activities that will help us to achieve our Aims.
These include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Walk to School week implemented in Summer Term 2008, and we are signed up for 2009. A number of
children walked who frequently come by car.
Walk on Wednesday 2008/09 is now in place.
Pedestrian training for Y1/2/3/4. Use of follow-up materials in class.
Cycle training in playground for Y4.
Cycling proficiency for Y6
Occasional information in newsletter
Years 5 and 6 the children did a speed survey with members of the BWTS Team on 16th January 2009 and are
using the data they collected in Maths and ICT.
Healthy School Award
11
5 Working Group recommendations for action
High volumes of large vehicles and speed issues along the main road were the main issues for raised during our surveys.
The children particularly talked about these issues and were keen to do a traffic count and vehicle survey on the main
road by the school. Parents also expressed concerns and it is for these reasons that the emphasis of this plan will be on
the impacts of travel on personal health and safe travel. Issues to focus in include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Covered area for parents. (Objective ST6 and Actions 7.2)
Feasibility of safer dropping-off point for bus and taxi. (Objective ST5 and Actions 7.5)
Look at feasibility of walking bus. (Objective ST4 and Actions 7.5)
Education of children – promote cycling safely and walking skills in conjunction with health education.
(Objectives PH1,2,3 & 4 plus Objectives S1,2 &7 and Actions 7.2)
Sustainable/safe transport issues in the curriculum. (Objectives PH1,2,3 & 4 plus Objective ST8 and Actions
7.5)
Continued communication with parents via newsletter and prospectus. (Objective ST3 & Actions 7.4)
6 Targets – specific % targets for modal shift by yearly review
date
Year 2008
Mode of Travel
Baseline Data i.e. original survey %
Target percentage for following year
Bus/Taxi
21%
Sustain at 21%
Car/Van
36%
Decrease to 32%
Car share
2%
Increase to 3%
Cycle
0%
Sustain at 0% - see notes
Rail
N/A
N/A
Walk
41%
Increase to 44%
Notes
Additional 2% Taxi.
There is difficulty in reducing the numbers traveling by car due to distance from school of outlying hamlets/farms and
those who come from towns/villages out with the catchment area, parents may drop of or collect children as part on
another journey ie to work or a sporting activity. We would look to encouraging parents to walk whenever feasible,
even if this were only a few times a week.
Safety issues regarding cycling along the B5302 to and through the village were identified both by parents and children,
this lead the Working Group to conclude that rather than set a target for children to cycle to school they should put
the emphasis on using the highway for both walking and cycling safely and raising awareness of public transport and
journeys where it may be viable.
12
7 Action plans
7.1 Education and training planned (e.g. Primary: pedestrian skills training / Secondary: teenage cycle training)
Year
group
Measure
Number
Cost
Date
(dd.mm.yy)
Action by
Completed?
(month/year)
Notes/success criteria and risks, including links to
objectives/targets and issues previously identified
Cycling proficiency
6
13
N/A
4th June 2008
Head/Bikeability
trainers C Wills and
E Gilroy
4th June 2008
All Y6 pass test
Pedestrian Training
Y1/2/3/4
43
N/A
6th Oct 2008
Bridget Stanley RSO
6th Oct 2008
Pedestrian training undertaken by all children
Playground Cycling
skills
Y4
10
N/A
5th Sept 2008
Cyclewise
5th Sept 2008
Cycling training undertaken
Traffic count/speed
gun -
Y6
15
N/A
16th January
2009
Betty Franklin &
BWTS Team
Easter 2009
The children held a traffic count and speed survey on the
busy road in front of the school.
Appendix 7a, has the instruction notes, vehicle count and
speed data collected.
Year 6 are going to analyse this data in Maths look at ways
of using, displaying and publicizing their findings in ICT.
13
7.2 School based engineering targets (e.g. cycle storage)
Measure
Covered waiting area
Date
(dd.mm.yy)
Cost
£5,400
Est 6th March
2009
Action by
Linda McDonald
Completed?
(month/year)
Autumn 09
Notes/success criteria and risks, including links to objectives/targets
and issues previously identified
Estimate from Mallinsons Fabrication in appendix 7b
7.3 Long term Road engineering targets
Cost will be
included if
Measure
approved by
Capita
Engineer
No long term Engineering measures
Time scale
Action by e.g.
traffic engineer
Date approved
by CCC
engineer
Completed?
(month/year)
Notes/success criteria and risks, including links to
objectives/targets and issues previously identified
14
7.4 Promotional/publicity targets
Measure
Date
(dd.mm.yy)
Action by
Notes
th
Regular BWTS items in fortnightly
newsletter
Beginning January 2009
L MacDonald
See appendix 7c - Newsletter 20 March 2009 includes items on
WoW and a Walking Bus.
Paragraph in prospectus
Early 2009
L MacDonald
/School Governors
To be incorporated into the 2009 update.
15
7.5 Additional targets/actions taken by the school
Measure
Date
Action by
Notes
Off road parking for buses
September 2009 – initial
research complete and
decision made on viability
School Governors
to discuss and
progress as
appropriate.
Safer drop-off points away from the road for the children traveling by bus
and taxi
Walk on Wednesday
Begun October 2008
L MacDonald with
Support from all
staff
This is the first year we have been involved with this initiative but the
children keen to walk and enjoy collecting the badges.
Feasibility of Walking Bus
September 2009
L MacDonald &
Bridget Stanley
We are going to ask parents their views on this in March 2009 and
depending on response and commitment we will explore a safe route
within the village to the school.
Sustainability and healthy issues
Summer & Autumn term
2009 and Spring 2010
L MacDoanld and
Staff
Following on from the work done on traffic counts and speed in the
Spring 2009 term we will incorporate transport sustainability into at
least one of the disciplines identified in ST8 each term.
16
8 Review of targets
This Travel Plan will be a working document and will be reviewed and updated annually every January by L Mcdonald
and the working group. Any review shall be planned to commence before the action plan has run its course to guard
against inactivity. The next review will be in September 2009.
The school will complete the survey annually in September to access any modal shift which may have occurred.
Integration of the STP into the school development/improvement plan is the most effective way to ensure the plan is
sustained (attach relevant section of SDP/SIP if applicable).
Survey Results
How do you travel to and from school?
Baseline:2008
Car/Van
Car Share
Cycling
Rail
Walk
Total
no. of
pupils
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
No.
%
05/09/08
55
11
21
20
36
1
2
0
0
0
0
23
41
Yearly Target %
Baseline:2009
Bus/taxi
Date of
survey
21
32
3
0
0
44
Sept 09
Yearly Target %
Baseline:2010
Sept 10
Yearly Target %
Comments
Safety issues regarding cycling along the B5302 to and through the village were identified both by parents and children,
this lead the Working Group to conclude that rather than set a target for children to cycle to school they should put
the emphasis on using the highway for both walking and cycling safely and raising awareness of public transport and
journeys where it may be viable.
9 Cycle count
Cycle Count
Date of count
before
Cycle count
Measure
Implemented
Date of count after
Cycle count
As stated our emphasis is on safe cycling not numbers.
17
10 Monitoring training
All activities/training/improvements will be recorded and monitored and notes will be added to the Travel Plan each time something is done.
Year
2008
Year
Group
Activity
Number
Cycling proficiency
6
13
Pedestrian Training
Y1/2/3/4
43
Playground Cycling skills
Y4
10
2009
Year
Group
Number
2010
Year
Group
Number
2011
Year
Group
Number
2012
Year
Group
Number
18
11 Comments and notes
Traffic count – Speed Survey – Year 6
On Friday 16th January 2009 Betty Franklin and 2 colleagues from BWTS came to the school and helped us to do a
count of the cars and vans passing. They brought with them a sped gun and we were able to take the speeds of some
of the vehicles passing.
We all had to put on yellow coats so that we could be easily seen. We split into groups of 3 so that we all got a turn
with the speed gun. We all had a turn at counting the cars and vans and then we did the speed gun. We tried to
guess the speed and had to point the gun at the vehicle and get a reading. When a lot of the cars saw us they slowed
down.
We counted 432 vehicles altogether on the road outside our school between 9:45am and12:00.
There were:
Vehicle
Bicycles
Car & taxi
Small vans
Big vans, Lorries
Buses
Number
4
289
46
84
9
We checked the speeds on 224 of these vehicles, there was an average speed of 31 mph from vehicles traveling from
Wigton and 30mph from vehicles traveling to Silloth.
We are going to look at this data in more detail and produce some graphs.
19
APPENDICES
1a)
1b)
1c)
1d)
1e)
Bus routes ( Abbeytown highlighted).
Bus timetables (Abbeytown highlighted).
Bus stops within Abbeytown.
Rights of Way and NCR72 (Hadrian Cycleway)
Routes used by children to get to school, from the route plotting
2a On Line survey results
2b Parents survey and analysis
2c Working Group Notes
3a Accident Location Plan
7a Notes on procedure for the traffic count, speed survey, plus initial survey results
7b Mallinsons estimate for parents shelter
7c Newsletter 20th March – Items on WoW and a Walking Bus
20