TRANSPORT: SCHOOLS
Distance
learning
The school run. It is a phrase synonymous
with congested roads, bad parking and
frazzled parents. However, it does not
have to be that way and a quiet revolution
has been taking place locally.
A
lmost two thirds of schools
in our borough have ‘travel
plans’ devised by Ealing
Council to help make sure
pupils and staff can get to and from
school as safely – and sustainably – as
possible. One primary school’s travel
plan has even been recognised as the
best in west London.
18
around ealing
Autumn 2015
The plans involve various measures
to encourage walking, cycling or
scootering to school; and encouraging
those who do have to drive to car
share or ‘park and stride’ by parking
a little distance from the gates and
walking the rest of the way. The aim is
for all of our schools to eventually have
a travel plan.
Impressively, 15 of our schools
achieved ‘gold’ travel plan status in
2014, awarded by Transport for
London (TfL) – rising from eight
schools the year before. One
of those was St Gregory’s
Primary, in Woodfield
Road, Ealing, which was
even marked out by
TfL’s STARS sustainable
travel scheme as
being the best in west
London.
Beaconsfield Primary
School, meanwhile, was
recognised by STARS for
having the highest increase
in walking to school.
Cycle training (‘Bikeability’)
lessons were held at 39 schools, while
balance bike training for nursery
children meant 950 pupils learned to
scoot, glide or cycle.
Meanwhile, Ealing has become the
best in London for reducing the number
of cars used for getting to and from
school. In 2014, the use of cars for the
school run fell by 2% to 27% (the next
best borough in London was Hounslow
at 34%).
BIKING SCHOOLS
This intensive programme began at
St Gregory’s Primary last year and was
so successful it won acclaim at the
London Transport Awards this year. It is
the only scheme of its kind in London
that involves compulsory cycle training
for the whole school, combined with
a regular coach presence one day a
week and fun events.
On the same day each week the
cycle coach meets with appointed ‘bike
monitors’, runs cycle training, an afterschool club and Dr Bike maintenance
sessions; and organises bike rides,
bicycle recycling and competitions.