School Travel Audit

Findings from a travel audit of Guernsey schools which took place earlier this week has shown a significant growth in the numbers of young people who have incorporated active travel into their journeys to and from school. 

In May 2023 49% of children in primary schools were recorded as travelling actively to school. This includes walking, cycling. scooting or blended travel, which means walking at least part of the journey. This year the figure travelling actively to school was 61%. The figure travelling actively from school was 59%, up 10% on this time last year. 

The increase was especially impressive at three schools that arranged walking buses for the week. In May 2023 the combined percentage of children travelling actively to Hautes Capelles, St Mary and St Michael and La Houguette was 27%. The figure for the 2024 audit has increased to 42%. At La Houguette the number travelling actively has more than doubled. In May 2023 22% travelled actively compared to 52% this week. 

Alex Costen, Active Travel officer at the Health Improvement Commission, commented: ‘It has been a real pleasure to see so many children and parents walking to school. It is a great way to start the day and children have clearly really enjoyed the experience. We are working with schools to make active travel the preferable option for all children. Walking buses are just one example of interventions that enable children to travel actively. The trick is to build upon this increase and make it permanent and sustainable.’ The request for the active travel audit was circulated to all headteachers and principals. Teachers asked children in each class, by a show of hands, how each child travelled to and from school over the course of two days. There were more than 4,000 responses over the two days.