Kent’s Sustainable Travel to School Strategy
Improving opportunities in education and managing transport to reduce congestion are two key priorities for Kent County Council.
The Education and Inspections Act 2006, contains within it a number of new requirements and statutory duties for Local Education and Transport Authorities. Some of these relate to arrangements for transporting children to and from school/college and also the promotion of sustainable transport options to pupils and parents.
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There are four core components to KCC’s responsibility to promote sustainable travel modes:
a) an assessment of the travel and transport needs of children, and young people within the authority's area;
b) an audit of the sustainable travel and transport infrastructure within the authority that may be used when travelling to and from, or between schools/institutions;
c) a strategy to develop the sustainable travel and transport infrastructure within the authority so that the travel and transport needs of children and young people are better catered for;
d) the promotion of sustainable travel and transport modes on the journey to, from, and between schools and other institutions.
As a first stage in the process, a KCC officer led working group, comprising representatives from Environment and Regeneration together with Children, Families and Education have developed a Sustainable Travel to School Strategy. The Strategy builds on The Vision for Kent and Local Transport Plan and sets out key objectives, actions and targets to develop the sustainable travel and transport infrastructure within the authority. The Strategy, together with the additional work it identifies, are intended to be an important source of information to parents on the travel options available to them when expressing their preferences for particular schools in the admissions round.
In accordance with the requirements of the Act, this document is updated annually and published alongside schools admissions information on 31st August each year.
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