Active School Travel Programs

Image credit: State of Queensland

Action 3.4, Action Plan for Walking 2019–2021

Status: Complete

With an increase in the number of students being driven to school, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) prepared a report that assessed current Australian active school travel (AST) programs. The report examined the benefits of, and barriers to AST. It also analysed the common elements of AST programs, evidence of success and drew out learnings before making recommendations for organisations considering or implementing AST programs. 

Achievements

Over the last 45 years, Queensland has gone from a state where most students actively travelled to school either walking, riding or catching public transport, to one where 74% of primary school students are now driven to school in cars.

This affects families, schools and communities with negative impacts on health, the environment, community connection, safety and transport costs. 

AST programs encourage families to leave the car at home and choose more active transport modes to travel to and from school.

In 2021, TMR prepared a report that analysed current Australian AST programs. The report assessed eight programs facilitated by state governments, local governments and non-government organisations. 

It found that different AST programs delivered behaviour change and infrastructure initiatives including: 

• infrastructure audits and funding
• school travel plans
• focus days and events
• education and skills training
• mapping and wayfinding
• curriculum resources
• rewards and incentives.

Learnings from program owners included:

• online resources alone are not enough to change travel behaviour
• ongoing funding over time delivers best results
• local ownership of AST programs encourages sustainability
• behaviour change supported by safe, connected infrastructure will deliver the greatest increases in active travel.

The report recommended options for organisations considering or implementing AST programs from collaboration and resource sharing to implementing locally owned programs that incorporate behaviour change and infrastructure grants.

The Queensland Government strongly supports the work of local governments and community groups to promote and enable active school travel. A key purpose of this report was to gather and report on best practice from around Australia and share the learnings.

Next steps

• Download a snapshot of the Active School Travel program.
• The Queensland Government will continue to support active school travel in Queensland through the Safe school travel (SafeST) program and through planning and grant programs.