A discussion about active school travel with special guests Erin Mutch (TVDSB) and Dr. Andrew Clark (Western HEAL).
In Japan, 6 years-old kids go to school on their own. In countries like the Netherlands and Finland, the vast majority bike to school even in snowy winters. How can we get there?
During self-isolation due to COVID-19, many families here in Canada have explored their neighbourhood by bike with their children. Can this experience trigger new behaviour when we go back to school? We hope so.
Nowadays, only 48% of our kids walk/bike to school daily. From the engineering side, new schools have been designed to encourage more cycling and research shows that even though there aren't many traffic collisions, there is a perception of lack of safety. Education and encouragement should be the focus. And maybe urban design is not only about real safety but also about the perception of safety. Other cities in Canada have been implementing School Streets. Can we make that vision a reality in London?
From a systems perspective, it is also important to consider beyond school surroundings. A minimum grid is fundamental to make it convenient for other bike trips (i.e. parents going to work).
To implement those changes, school boards and the city need to be on the same page. Hamilton is a good example of this partnership with a formal charter signed by the City and the two school boards. Is London prepared for that kind of partnership?
If better academic performance, healthier, and more independent kids is not a good enough reason to prioritize active school travel. Let's consider the potential savings. Currently, our school bus system costs a whopping $60million/year. An OAST report also points to parking lot costs, "Principal time" handling traffic and the impact on the health care system from air pollution and respiratory diseases.
What if... we designed a city where even kids could bike safely every day?
References
www.880cities....
www.theatlanti...
www.boredpanda...
www.express.co...
ontarioactives...
www.mybigyellow...
smartcommute.c...
• Anthony's Putsch - Kin...
www.activesafer...
ontarioactives...
theheal.ca/projects/asrts
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