Funded by the DfE, Climate Ambassadors match volunteer climate experts with education settings.
Part of Let’s Go Zero, Climate Action Advisors are independent experts who offer free support for schools, colleges, and nurseries across England.
About
A sustainable travel plan is a structured document that sets out how an education setting will encourage more journeys to be made by walking, wheeling, cycling, scootering, public transport or car sharing. It helps identify barriers to sustainable travel and outlines practical actions to address them.
A sustainable travel plan may include infrastructure improvements, behaviour change activities or staff incentives. It provides a coordinated approach to reducing transport-related emissions while supporting healthier and more sustainable travel choices.
By setting clear objectives and monitoring progress, the plan can help embed sustainable travel within everyday operations and support wider climate action goals. A sustainable travel plan will vary widely between early years’ settings and higher education settings or if your setting is rural or urban.
Why
Travel to and from an education setting can be a significant source of carbon emissions. Developing a sustainable travel plan helps reduce reliance on private vehicles, improve local air quality and increase levels of physical activity among learners and staff. It can also help ease congestion around the site, enhance road safety and support wellbeing. By encouraging sustainable travel habits from an early age, settings can help create lasting positive behaviours that benefit individuals and the wider community.
How
- Learners and staff will be key in collecting data on how they travel to the setting. Estates and operational staff will be key in making changes to the infrastructure.
- Begin by carrying out a travel survey to understand current travel patterns and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Engage learners, staff, families and local partners to gather feedback on barriers and potential solutions.
- Use this information to develop actions, such as promoting walking and cycling, improving facilities, increasing awareness campaigns or supporting public transport use.
- Review the plan regularly and update it as travel patterns change or new opportunities emerge.
Resources
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