Walking and Safer Routes to School

摘要

There are four themes under which this paper concludes. Firstly, there are opportunities to reverse declining levels of walking on the school journey, i.e. the decline is not inevitable. Opportunities are likely to be most effective where policies targeted at adult travel behaviour are undertaken in concert with others to create some synergy. Measures aimed at improving the physical environment as well as policies which promote walking as transport by schools and other organisations are an important part of any strategy to reverse the decline in walking. This requires collaboration and co-operation rather than traditional sectoral approaches. Secondly, the suppressed demand for walking amongst pupils, the only mode available to them without any cost, highlights the need for action to remove the barriers to this environmentally sustainable and health-promoting mode. Simply because young people do not have the same level of competence as adults in communicating their views, it does not mean that what they say is any less valid. Not accounting for children and young people's wishes is also at odds with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the United Kingdom is a signatory. Thirdly, transport plays an increasing role in determining who gains access to what opportunities and to social as well as economic wealth. As such transport forms an important part of every person's quality of life. Quality of life might be seen to contain issues around maintenance of social support networks, freedom from traffic noise and air pollution, congestion-free travelling conditions and freedom to walk without fear of traffic danger. Policies which reduce car dependence among children and young people are likely to improve their quality of life if this is seen to encompass their physical and mental well-being. Lastly, walking is not only effective transport over relatively short distances, but is also health-promoting. For both reasons there is an urgency to promote walking from childhood so that the habit can become routine. The compulsory schooljourney is an important focal point for action.