Are the lives of children really considered in our planning processes? The main reason for not walking to school is not the distance. There are several other factors at play here, particularly safety. However, getting to school and other activities is not a priority in land use and transport planning. Consequently, many schools are not conveniently and safely accessible by footpath or public transport. Result – they are reliant on cars.
Traffic, personal safety, convenience in busy schedules, lack of safe, reliable public transport are key issues. Consequently, driving is seen as the only viable option to ensure children arrive safely and on time.
Hulya Gilbert and Ian Woodcock discuss the issues in an article in The Fifth Estate. Road trauma is the leading cause of death for 1-14 year olds. That’s one issue. The other is that using the car for safety and convenience reduces physical activity. Getting to school on foot is good for gaining independence and opens up opportunities for social interaction.
School drop-off danger zone
Poor planning on the placement of schools often results in chaotic and dangerous school drop-offs. Gilbert and Woodcock say the afternoon pick ups are the most dangerous of all. Local school travel plans attempt to overcome some of the issues, but it is a piecemeal approach.
An alternative approach: Child Friendly Index
With a focus on population ageing there is a risk of leaving children out of urban planning decisions. However, what is good for children is good for everyone. Gilbert and Woodcock have devised a Child-Friendliness Index which combines social and built environment attributes. The Index demonstrates that areas with higher levels of friendliness have higher levels of walking, cycling and public transport when accessing schools.
The Index enhances understanding of what attributes make a ‘local school’. It provides concrete pointers towards specific actions and interventions. As such it supports the development of clear polices so that children can reach a wider range of environments.
Once again, designing for a marginalised group has benefits for everyone. Children should always be part of a universal design approach. Their experiences matter too.
The title of the magazine article is, Rethinking the school drop off: an effective and lasting approach.
The title of the research paper is, Is School Travel too Complex to Handle Without a Car? Assessing “Child-Friendliness” as a Pathway to Reducing Private Car use for Children’s Transport.