Bicycle Network Victoria: Teachers

Discouraging Car Use

Quiet Neighbourhood Routes

Discouraging Car Use

The Goal

Driving kids to school has become the norm despite most families living within a distance that is ideal for walking or riding to school. It is a bad habit that needs to change.

The aim is not to ban driving to school. The goal is to create a new social norm of leaving the car at home or at least a few blocks away from school. By restricting parking around your school it forces families to reconsider the alternatives.

Benefit of discouraging car use
- decreased traffic congestion around school
- improved conditions for walking, riding and scooting
- decreased green house gas emissions
- less pollution around the school
- healthier and happier families

Recommended steps

Ride2School suggests developing an action plan and starting small.

1. Identify the problem – establish how much traffic could be reduced, and where alternative parking is available. Take some photos of the car congestion.

2. Develop an action team and plan – this could include the principal, parents and friends, and students. Identify in your plan both small and long term strategies.

3. Engage the whole community – spread the word on what you plan to do. Explain why your school is taking this action and be sure to let parents know how they can be part of the change.
Communicate proposed actions well in advance and suggest alternative parking locations.
Try to link in with local media to expand the reach of your message.

4. Start small – try restricting parking around the school using existing resources such as fluoro witches hats. Having a parent volunteer in fluoro vest can act as supervisor and informer to car drivers to explain the change in parking conditions. They can also be used to monitor the change in behaviour to measure the effectiveness of the strategy.

5. Ride2School initiatives to run in conjunction with discouraging car use
Walking Wheeling Wednesdays – encourage families to at least make an effort to be active one day a week. This is a great day to start parking restrictions.
Part Way is OK – encourages families that live more than 3km away from school to drive part way and be active on the last part of the journey to school.

6. Have a long term plan – the end goal is to implement permanent parking changes, to do this your school will need to approach local government with a case of why your school wants parking conditions changed. The type of evidence and information that is useful for council includes:

• Hands Up! results
• Photo evidence of car congestion
• Letters from parents and other members of the school community

Everyone has a role to play

Local Council

* install and monitor new parking signs/ drop off zones
* enforce parking restrictions
* other infrastructural changes such as bike parking for parents outside the school

Local media

* communicate the changes and their benefits to the wider community
* raise awareness for the schools commitment to active travel
* promote campaigns such as Walking Wheeling Wednesdays

Ride2School

* provide the data collection tool Hands Up!
* help link in with local media
* help communicate with local council
* provide a assistance on how to communicate with parents
* suggest other strategies to run in conjunction with discouraging car use

Case Study

One school that has recently restricted parking and made long term changes to parking is St Joseph’s Primary in Brunswick. In recent months staff has observed a significant reduction in traffic flow and congestion at drop off and pick up times. At the same time more students (and parents) are choosing to jump on their bikes, scooters and their own two feet. This positive change in behaviour can be attributed to the Ride2School program, active parents and teachers, the student leadership group, local council and media.

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Quiet Neighbourhood Routes

Many people don't realise that the best route to ride or walk is likely to be different from the best route to drive. We have pulled together a step by step guide to setting up Quiet Neighbourhood Routes for schools.

• Download our 10 Easy Steps to Quiet Neighbourhood Routes

• Download GIS Map Tips

• Click here to watch the video, 'Why safe routes to school matter' for inspiration

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