Since 2023, Sefton Council and Sustrans have been working in partnership on several collaborative design projects, with the goal of making school neighbourhoods and school journeys in Sefton safer for everyone.
The project is helping to build fun, healthy and greener habits for life. Credit: All Saints Catholic Primary School/Sustrans
We've been working with 15 schools in Merseyside alongside Sefton Council to support families in travelling to school in healthy, fun and active ways.
The work, part of our School Streets programme, is helping to encourage autonomy and independence in older children, and greater social interaction within the school community.
This is all while helping to tackle the congestion, poor air quality and road safety concerns that many schools experience.
A case study: All Saints Catholic Primary School
Sustrans Project Officer, Sam Turner began working with All Saints in March 2024, and has been working closely with Miss Adderley and a task force of amazing young people to improve school journeys.
After completing the Big Street Survey, the task force began exploring ways to reduce congestion outside of school.
They identified the need to lower the number of vehicles parking outside of school.
In order to do this, they set up a Park and Stride scheme, where families who drive are encouraged to park further away from school and walk the end of their journey.
Credit All Saints Catholic Primary School
Encouraging a culture of active travel
Reflecting on the work, Sam Turner, Project Officer for Sustrans, said:
"I've worked with the school community to encourage a culture of active travel, and to help them to design a healthier school journey.
"The school as a whole have taken on this challenge with a roll-up of sleeves and a healthy dollop of enthusiasm.
"The school champion, Miss Adderley has been fantastic at helping to organise activities and encourage staff to get involved too.
"The level of engagement has allowed enabled us to implement the Park and Stride scheme from Bootle Leisure Centre which has enabled families who are unable to walk, wheel or cycle all the way, to be involved in the positive changes around school.
"Taking part in the Big Walk and Wheel and completing the Big Street Survey has created a real buzz amongst the young people.
"Seeing the cycle shelter full to the brim most days makes me feel a real sense of achievement."
School Streets projects have helped to reduce traffic and improve the safety of roads and the quality of air in many communities around the UK. Credit: photojB
Addressing safety concerns
Miss Adderley, Year 3 teacher at All Saints Catholic Primary School, has been delighted to see the improvements of the school's local area as well as to the children's learning:
“It has been an absolute pleasure to work with Sam and the Sustrans team in creating safer travel conditions for pupils at All Saints.
"The children, at each stage, have gained so much thanks to her engaging activities and relatable manner.
“It’s been fantastic to see Sam take their ideas and turn them into tangible, realistic plans that are already being put into motion.
"The children really feel like it is their own project and lasting legacy thanks to the guidance from the team, something they are really passionate about.
“Beyond the pupils’ feelings, it has been great for me to see a real safety concern being taken seriously and addressed.
“Not only have we been able to create a safer travel route for pupils, their knowledge and passion for safer, healthier travel is now evident throughout the school, and spreading!”
