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.

www.sustrans.org.uk/bikeit

paul.osborne@sustrans.org.uk

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