The Government and local authorities must work together to provide sustainable alternatives to car travel for schoolchildren, MPs have recommended.
The transport select committee calls on the Department for Transport to increase the amount of funding available for walking and cycling, and re-examine how school travel budgets are allocated.
Local authorities should continue to make decisions on school transport provision, which could include the introduction of yellow school buses, the new School Travel report concludes. But councils are advised ‘to consider the impact of dedicated transport, such as yellow buses on the local transport system, before introducing them’. The committee recommends that the Government issues guidance and examples of best practice to illustrate when a dedicated school bus system is appropriate.
The Yellow School Bus Commission last year called for the roll out of the buses for all primary school children living more than one mile from their school (Surveyor, 18 September 2008).
The report questioned the effectiveness and value for money of school travel plans, given the scheme aims to produce a modal shift of only 1% between 2004 and 2011. ‘We are unconvinced additional funding can be justified unless changes to mode of travel can be demonstrated.’ As such, it is ‘vital’ the Government monitors the effectiveness of the plans.
The committee also calls on local authorities to consider new ways to fund and run innovative schemes which integrate transport, health and educational objectives for school travel. The Government is criticised for its lack of transport planning for the new 14-19 diplomas.
‘Both the Department for Children, Schools and Families and the Department for Transport urgently need to identify how they are going to ensure children and young adults are not denied opportunities because public transport is either inadequate or too costly,’ said transport committee chairman, Louise Ellman.
The Government is also urged to help councils address the ‘inherent tension’ between school choice and travel impact by raising awareness of sustainable school travel issues among parents and young people when they are selecting schools.
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