Bike It – Increasing cycling to school Paul Osborne School Travel Director, Sustrans May 2009.
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Transcript of Bike It – Increasing cycling to school Paul Osborne School Travel Director, Sustrans May 2009.
Bike It – Increasing cycling to school
Paul OsborneSchool Travel Director, Sustrans
May 2009
our vision: a world in which people choose to travel in
ways that benefit their health and the environment
our mission: to work everyday on practical and imaginative solutions to the transport challenges affecting us all
Content of presentation
• Background
• What is Bike It?
• Monitoring and research
• Latest results
• Future research
• What have we learned?
Age 11 - 16Age 5 -10All children aged 5 - 16
How British children travel to school% of trips
2 1
National Travel Survey, 2006
Cycling
Walking
Bus
Car / van
Rail
How this has changed over the years% of trips, all children aged 5-16
National Travel Survey
Cycling
Walking
Bus
Car / van
1986 1992 1996 1999 2002 2004 2006
23
8
36
27
19
21
12
21
11
24
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Age 5 - 10
Age 11 - 16
under 1 mile
1-2 miles
2-3 miles
3-5 miles
5+ miles
Nearly 60% of school car journeys are within the statutory walking distance (under 2 or 3 miles)
National Travel Survey, 2006
Huge unmet demand for cycling amongst young people
A recent Sustrans survey of 20,000 schoolchildren found that half (49%) want to cycle to school
- And yet the National Travel Survey shows that only 2% of trips to school are by bike
Bike It is funded by:
– The cycle industry (Bike Hub)– Cycling England (Dept for Transport)– Big Lottery– Welsh Government– Transport for London – Local government– Local Health authorities
Bike It works directly with schools to increase levels of cycling
In 2009 Bike It will work in the following locations
There are 42 staff working in nearly 500 schools, giving cycling opportunities to over 90,000 children
Each Bike It Officer works in 12 schools per year
Key activities include:
Explaining the benefits of cycling
Contributing to classroom work
Addressing concerns about safety and liability
Sharing good practice
Organising practical and fun cycling activities
Publicity at Derby Moor Secondary School
Monitoring and research
Classroom surveys (19,000 children)
Counts of parked bicycles
Activity logs (bike maintenance, cycle training, cycle to school days, etc)
Surveys of headteachers and mobility managers
Health research
Monitoring and research
Monitoring and research
Feedback from Schools
• 97% of schools believe that cycling has increased, 70% believe that car use has fallen
• Support from Sustrans staff has been the critical success factor
• In particular, Bike It supports school travel plans, increases physical activity and organises popular activities for children and parents
• 94% of schools say that their children are more physically active as a result of Bike It
Headteacher and School Champion survey, Summer 2008.
Increase in frequency of children cycling to school at Bike It schools: 2007-08
Source: Sustrans 2008Note: Data based on hands-up surveys of around 19,000 pupils, asking the question “Do you cycle to school?”
75
55
4 8 10
18
713
4 60
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Never Every day Once or twice aweek
Once or twice aterm
Once or twice ayear
BeforeBike It
AfterBike It
% o
f pu
pils
Health Research
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Waist circumference
• Self reported physical activity
• Sedentary behaviour
• Cardiorespiratory fitness
• Muscular power (vertical jump)
Health findings
Those who cycle to school also cycle more in general
Higher reported physical activity amongst cyclists than other modes
Lower levels of sedentary behaviour
Behavioural changes may precede physiological changes
Future research
Reduction in car use and CO2 – tracking change of travel mode amongst individual children
Health impact - longitudinal surveys, before and after Bike It
Sustainability – is an increase in cycling maintained at schools after the Bike It officer moves on?
What have we learned from Bike It?
Infrastructure projects rarely work on their own. Promotional activities which promote walking and cycling should be built into the work programme.
Teachers need to be supported by individuals with a passion for walking and cycling, who have the skills to attract participants, run events and who lead by example.
Events and activities should have an emphasis on fun and participation (rather than just safety).
Work with the willing – and invite ‘leader schools’ to present their successes and failures to others.
Use a variety of survey methods at regular intervals.