Safe Routes to School

Woking Cycle Users' Group

Safe Routes to School

Surrey County Council has established the nation's first County-Wide Safer Routes to Schools Project. This work is supported by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The aim is to encourage walking and cycling as alternatives to the private car by enhancing conditions on the road for these groups. The result should be less pollution, fewer traffic problems and safer roads. To find out more, have a look at Surrey Safe Routes to School and Sustrans work on safe routes to schools.

One part of the initiative is the 'Challenge'. This aims to use people's local knowledge to make it easier and safer to walk, cycle and take the bus or train to school. There is special funding available to turn suggestions made through the Challenge into reality. For more information, visit the Surrey County Council Road Safety web pages at www.surreycc.gov.uk/road-safety/.

What is a Safe Route to School?

Basically, it is anything that you think would improve conditions for people walking, cycling and using public transport. This may include:

safe crossing points
slower vehicle speeds
controlled carparking
cycle routes
parental escort rotas so more children can walk or cycle
cycle parking at school
improved conditions of paths
new, more direct entrances to schools
school policy encouraging walking and cycling
new 'short-cut' routes for pedestrians and cyclists
parent-child cycle training
wider pavements

Fullbrook and West Byfleet County Infants and Primary Schools - A package of safety measures was approved by Woking Borough Council on Monday 11 January 1999. These include road narrowings in Camphill Road and a speed table to provide a safe crossing point for the existing patrol. The kerb on the north side of Station Road will be realligned to reduce the width of the road that pedestrians have to cross and the traffic signals at the railway bridge over Camphill Road will be modified to include pedestrian stages. The safety measures are limited to the area in front of the schools. Construction will begin in the Spring.

The Slower Speeds Initiative

The Slower Speeds Initiative was founded in March 1998 by The Children's Play Council, Cyclists’ Touring Club, the Environmental Transport Association, Living Streets, the Road Danger Reduction Forum, RoadPeace, Sustrans and Transport 2000.

Supporters of this initiative believe that lower speeds will bring important benefits by: improving road safety; reducing noise, stress, pollution and fuel consumption; and encouraging cycling, walking and public transport. It aims to achieve these benefits - in urban areas - through generally lower and better enforced speed limits, speed control technology and the development of more responsible attitudes to speed.

Slower speeds should:

o improve road safety

reduce road danger
encourage walking, cycling and public transport
reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
reduce noise
manage travel demand and reduce congestion

20’s PLENTY!
‘20’s Plenty’ is the campaign for a new, properly enforced 20mph default speed limit for streets where people and motorised traffic mix.