A Co Down mum is backing a campaign to make school streets less of a ‘battle ground’ for our children.
Almost half of Northern Ireland’s children live less than a mile from their school, yet nearly two thirds are driven there.
Mother-of-two Jan Banks transports her little ones by cargo bike to Bunscoil Mhuire agus Phádraig, Downpatrick and says she would like to see the streets outside places of education made safer.
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She is supporting the SustransNI's ‘School Streets’ initiative, which is calling on the government to restrict motor traffic at drop-off and pick-up times.
Jen said: “I can’t imagine the street my children’s school is on being much worse.
“Edward Street as a ‘School Street’ with access by foot, scoot or cycle could become safe and peaceful for everyone to live, learn, play and breathe.
“At the minute there are parked cars lining both sides of the road and a queue of vehicles waiting, engines rolling, at either end for the chance to dart up or down.
“Huge lorries are having to reverse as they’ve got stuck, school buses can’t access the school and cars are mounting the pavements. There is a perceivable layer of fumes, anxiety, frustration and danger.
“My son recently asked me if he could cycle to school on his own bike, and I said, ‘no, it’s not safe’,” she added. “I have heard other parents describe the school run to Our Lady’s and St Patrick’s Primary School in Downpatrick as ‘going into battle’, and whilst they’re joking, they have a point.
“But turning a section into a School Street would mean my child and many others could walk or cycle independently to school which encourages active travel.”
Every week the school encourages the parents and carers to ‘park and stride’ and encourages the children towards active travel.
“The school is not the problem,” Jen added. “The infrastructure these children are striding into undoubtedly is.
“Turning a section of Edward Street into a ‘School Street’ would mean that residents, school staff, those with blue badges, and blue light vehicles would always have access to the street.
“However, at certain times of the school day, the rest of the public would be asked not to drive down it.”
Sustrans NI believes that a simple change to the streets outside primary schools would enable many more children to walk, scoot or cycle to school.
The initiative has been successful across the UK and Ireland in promoting active travel, tackling congestion, poor air quality and road safety concerns at schools.
Northern Ireland is the only region without this scheme.
Belfast City Council recently passed a motion, tabled by SDLP Cllr Séamas de Faoite, calling for a pilot in Belfast.
However, the statutory powers lie with the Department for Infrastructure.
Sustrans has been delivering a behaviour change programme – the Active School Travel Programme, jointly funded by the Public Health Agency and Department for Infrastructure.
Sustrans surveys show around four in five children would like to travel actively to school.
But better infrastructure is needed to make active journeys a safe option and more attractive to parents.
Beth Harding, Active School Travel programme manager said: “More than a quarter of children in Northern Ireland are overweight or obese.
“Active travel through walking and cycling can help reverse this trend and also helps a child’s mental health.
“Reducing traffic and associated carbon emissions around the school gates has the added impact of improving air quality, which has become a significant public health issue especially in urban areas.
“There is great potential to increase the number of children walking and cycling to school and to reduce car use on the school run. Implementing School Streets initiatives can help as we’ve seen from the success in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
“We believe every child in Northern Ireland who can and who wants to should be able to safely walk and cycle to school.”
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