A School Travel Plan is a living document – not just a paper report. For it to be successful it must have ‘buy-in’ from all members of the school community. It is therefore essential that you set up a Steering Group to identify the current transport problems faced by the school, and to put forward solutions. A Steering Group must include representation from:
- Parents
- Governors
- Staff
Ideally it should also include a representative from:
- Local Authority – The School Travel Advisor (STA) – see The Council’s Role
- School Council
- Local community policeman
- Local residents
Finding members for the Steering Group is often easier then you might imagine – almost everyone has an opinion about transport, and the ‘school run’ in particular, and this is the perfect forum to get their views heard. A newsletter home to parents or an informal discussion at the end of the school day will often turn up willing participants.
The Steering Group should meet at least termly to discuss the progress of the plan. After your plan has been approved the steering group should still meet to organise the continued monitoring of the plan, discuss the progress towards achieving your targets and raise any new bids for funding with the council.
