THE City of Ballarat will launch a pilot program aimed at increasing the number of pupils walking and cycling to and from primary school.
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The program aims to get children active and reduce traffic around school entrances. It will identify safe routes to participating schools.
The City of Ballarat surveyed parents from local primary schools during the 2015 Walk to School program asking them to identify barriers for allowing their children to walk or cycle to school.
Three quarters (75 per cent) of parents surveyed said road crossing areas were the most common barrier, usually combined with traffic speed or roundabouts.
Other common barriers identified by parents were general safety and lack of footpaths. The pilot program has been developed to help address these concerns.
The number of schools involved and students registered in the VicHealth Walk to School program has grown each year with 50 per cent of students from the municipality’s 39 schools now registered each October.
St Alipius Parish School pupils have participated in National Ride to School Day for about 10 years. The school is looking to encouraging more pupils to ride to school once a term.
VicHealth research shows children who walk or cycle to school have a better knowledge and familiarity with their neighbourhood, better social connections and greater resilience.
