School Travel Plan
As part of its aim to promote active travel in schools, TfL (Transport for London) launched an initiative called STARS.
STARS – Sustainable Travel: Active, Responsible, Safe – is an accreditation scheme which aims to inspire the school community to travel sustainably, actively, responsibly and safely, and in turn make a big difference to the wellbeing and health of children. It engages and empowers pupils to participate in active travel behaviour; including cycling, walking, scooting and using public transport.
St Elizabeth’s School Travel Plan
St Elizabeth’s has been awarded the STARS Gold Award for seven consecutive years, from September 2017 to August 2024. This demonstrates our promotion of active and safe travel and alternative forms of travel to using the private car.
In November 2018, the Mayor of London presented St Elizabeth’s with the School Travel Plan Regional Champion Award in recognition of achievement in active and safer travel initiatives.
Through many initiatives to promote active travel, St Elizabeth’s has achieved its main objectives, including to:
- Improve the health of pupils by encouraging active travel, and reduce harmful emissions;
- Improve the environment by reducing congestion, thereby pollution and CO2 emissions, and at the same time improve facilities for walkers and cyclists;
- Improve safety through highways engineering measures and raise awareness through road safety education;
- Improve access and opportunity by developing pupils’ skills for safe travel.
St Elizabeth’s is working with TfL and the London Borough of Richmond on ways to alleviate congestion during drop off and collection times. The London Borough of Richmond is also providing funding to schools in the borough, including St Elizabeth’s, for resources and activities that help to promote active travel to children, such as badges, hi-viz vests, pedometers, balance bicycles and scooter parking.
Throughout the school year, there are many activities to promote active travel to pupils including ‘Walk to School Week’, Stranger Danger talks by members of the local Police, Scooter and Cycling Proficiency, Pedestrian Skills Training, School Sponsored Walk, Road Safety Talks, Bike Market (sponsored by the Local Authority), Car Free Days (in line with National Car Free Day) and curriculum classes and assemblies focusing on the environment and health benefits of active travel.
St Elizabeth’s has also signed the pledge to become an active supporter of 'anti-idling' and actively campaigns for this purpose.
Where possible, St Elizabeth’s uses safe modes of transport for school journeys and educational visits, including public bus, trains and walking.
Parents are encouraged to use active travel to and from school with their children on a daily basis. If the car is the chosen form of transport, parents are asked to consider using the ‘Park & Stride’ initiative with the local Sainsbury’s Supermarket on Manor Road/Lower Richmond Road with a 3 hour parking allocation, or car share arrangements where possible.
St Elizabeth’s School Travel Champion is Mrs Marie Devine-Bloomfield, elected Parent School Governor. A School Travel Working Group has been formed with Mrs Hines, Headteacher, and Mrs Diver, Deputy Headteacher, with pupil representation from Year 6 in the form of Junior Travel Ambassadors.