What is a Safer Routes to School Scheme?
A safer routes to school scheme (SRTS) provides engineering improvements to help improve safety, accessibility and encourage more children to walk or cycle to school. It is hoped that the scheme will result in less traffic and congestion and improved air quality in and around the school area.
What does a scheme include?
Where possible the improvements will include a 20mph zone with traffic calming or other speed reduction measures as required, safer crossing points, new or extended lengths of footway, cycle facilities and enhanced signing, lining and lighting in the area.
However, highway changes alone are not enough to make a safer route to school scheme successful. The involvement of the school community is vital if we are to see a real shift towards walking and cycling.
Other initiatives that might be considered are:
- School Travel Plan and action group
- On school site cycle storage facilities
- Pedestrian maintenance sessions
- Crossing Patrols
- Walking buses or cycle trains
- Classroom activities
Will all schools have a scheme?
We are committed to the introduction of a 20mph zone in the vicinity of all schools within the County, and our aim is that all schools will eventually receive a SRTS scheme. However due to budget constraints it could take a number of years to complete the programme of works.
In order to identify the schools in order of priority for a scheme, a ranking list is produced and reviewed each year. The list is developed using accident statistics (within a 500m radius of the school) and various aspects of the indices of deprivation.
Which schools are planned to have a scheme?
The schools in the County that have been identified for a safer routes to school scheme in 2010/11 are detailed below:
What consultation is carried out?
Consultation is carried out on a local basis for each scheme. The schools are involved early in the planning stage and if the school has produced a School Travel Plan then this is an important tool when initially designing the scheme.
Local Councillors are consulted on the principles of schemes in their ward before wider local consultation takes place.
Further consultation is then carried out with the Emergency Services, Local District and Borough Councillors, children and parents of the school and the wider local community.
Formal consultation follows when an order is required for things like pedestrian crossings or parking restrictions.
For further information regarding safer routes to school please email: highways@northamptonshire.gov.uk