Brisbane City Council is today kicking off the 2019 Active School Travel program, which has encouraged more than 100,000 primary school students to actively travel since 2004.
Public and Active Transport Chairman Cr Adrian Schrinner said 24,500 students would put their feet to the pavement in 2019, helping to tackle congestion and boost safety around 46 Brisbane schools.
“The Active School Travel program has had enormous success over the past 15 years, with 157 schools joining Council’s efforts to encourage active and healthy habits,” Cr Schrinner said.
“As the Active School Travel Program continues to grow, we are seeing more people swapping the car in favour of walking, scootering, cycling or catching public transport with a 21 per cent reduction in car trips last year.
“Walking has the most popular form of active transport, with a 16 per cent increase in kids pulling on their kicks every morning to travel to school.
“While the Queensland average for students actively travelling is 25 per cent, Council’s three-year Active School Travel Program has helped nearly two-thirds of some Brisbane school communities ditch the car.
“Not only does the program have a positive impact on safety and congestion around schools, but we also know that students are more attentive in the classroom when they are more active and healthy outside.”
Cr Schrinner said Council initially launched the Active School Travel Program in 2004 as a one-year trial, focussing on road safety.
“Since the Active School Travel Program began 15 years ago, it has evolved into a three-year program that looks at innovative ways to change school travel habits that can often become embedded into school culture,” he said.
“The program has been recognised globally for its success, with every participating school provided customised active travel maps, free bike and scooter skills training, weekly active travel days as well as student ‘passports’ and travel rewards.”
The Active School Travel Program is designed to educate and motivate students, parents and teachers to leave the car at home and actively travel, reducing traffic in and around school areas.
First year schools joining in 2019:
- Acacia Ridge State School
- Brookfield State School
- Cannon Hill Anglican College
- Christ the King Primary School, Graceville
- Darra State School
- Grand Avenue State School
- Islamic College of Brisbane, Karawatha
- Junction Park State School
- Newmarket State School
- Sacred Heart Primary School, Sandgate
- Serviceton South State School
- Sherwood State School
- St Ambrose’s Primary School, Newmarket
- St Anthony’s Primary School, Kedron
- St Kieran’s Primary School, Brighton
- Stretton State College
- Wooloowin State School
- Yeronga State School
Schools on their second year of the program in 2019:
- Camp Hill State Infants and Primary School
- Enoggera State School
- Everton Park State School
- Geebung State School
- Graceville State School
- Ironside State School, St Lucia
- Lota State School
- Middle Park State School
- Nashville State School, Brighton
- Oakleigh State School, Ashgrove
- Payne Road State School, The Gap
- Shorncliffe State School
- St Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary School, Tarragindi
- St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Salisbury
Schools on their third year of the program in 2019:
- Belmont State School
- Greenslopes State School
- Holy Spirit School, New Farm
- Manly West State School
- Mansfield State School
- Moggill State School
- Norman Park State School
- Oxley State School
- Robertson State School
- Sandgate State School
- St Joseph’s School, Nundah
- St Pius School, Banyo
- St Sebastian’s School, Yeronga
- Windsor State School