Car trips to school down 30 per cent: Lord Mayor

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk has declared Council’s Active School Travel Program a success with a 30 per cent reduction in the number of car trips to school during the past year.

The Lord Mayor said his record investment in active travel and the efforts of students, parents and teachers was making a real difference to the habits of Brisbane families and the city’s environmental future.

“Fewer kids being driven to school means safer roads, less congestion and fitter, healthier students,” Cr Quirk said.

“I want Brisbane to be Australia’s most clean and green city, and programs like this are just another way Council is furthering this goal.

“Today’s students are tomorrow’s adults, so if we can send home the importance of active, sustainable travel options we can make a real difference to citywide issues like traffic congestion and parking problems.”

Cr Quirk said 6900 students from 21 schools took part in the program, which encourages students and their parents to walk, cycle, carpool or catch public transport to school via initiatives like Walking, Wheeling Wednesdays.

“These schools tripled our goal of seeing a 10 per cent reduction in car trips carrying children from just one family, which goes to show the real commitment from those who took part – and I know they’ll continue their good work into the future.”

Overall changes at the 21 participating schools in 2011 included:
• Single family car trips dropped from 73% to 43%
• Walking trips increased from 16% to 40%
• Scooter trips increased from 1% to 3%
• Car pooling trips increased from 4% to 7%

St James Catholic Primary School at Coorparoo recorded the best results in 2011 with a 52 per cent increase in students walking to school, as well as a 59 per cent decrease in the number of students travelling by car.

More than 610 tonnes of carbon emissions were saved over the 2011 school year, and there were 2.25 million fewer vehicle kilometres travelled.

The Lord Mayor has committed $750,000 to the Active School Travel program in 2011/12, which helps schools implement initiatives such as Bike Skills Training and Walking School Buses.

The 2012 program has now launched with 21 new schools participating around Brisbane.

2011 Active School Travel program results:

1. Buranda State School (+24% increase in active travel modes)
2. Coopers Plains State School (+24% increase in active travel modes)
3. Darra State School (+20% increase in active travel modes)
4. Eagle Junction State School (+23% increase in active travel modes)
*5. Fig Tree Pocket State School (+38% increase in active travel modes)
6. Moreton Bay Boys College (+19% increase in active travel modes)
7. Mount Gravatt State School (+32% increase in active travel modes)
8. Mount Gravatt East State School (+18% increase in active travel modes)
9. Pallara State School (+49% increase in active travel modes)
10. Payne Road State School (+18% increase in active travel modes)
11. Prince of Peace Lutheran College (+30% increase in active travel modes)
12. Shorncliffe State School (+22% increase in active travel modes)
13. St Catherine’s Catholic Primary School (+32% increase in active travel modes)
14. St Finbarr’s Catholic Primary School (+28 % increase in active travel modes)
15. St Ita’s Catholic Primary School (+42% increase in active travel modes)
16. St James Catholic Primary School, Coorparoo (+59% increase in active travel modes)
17. St Kieran’s Catholic Primary School (+38% increase in active travel modes)
18. St William’s Catholic Primary School (+48% increase in active travel modes)
19. Stafford Heights State School (+16% increase in active travel modes)
20. Tingalpa State School (+25% increase in active travel modes)
21. Windsor State School (+38% increase in active travel modes)

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