Parents across NSW are calling for safer roads around schools to enable active transport.
Almost three and a half thousand parents, carers, teachers and residents responded to the NSW School Safety Survey and expressed their concerns about the unsafe environment around schools. With 1.2 million students across NSW, this is a serious concern for their health and well-being.
According to the report, 36% of parents wouldn’t let their children walk or ride to school due to unsafe road crossings:
- 12% said a lack of footpaths meant walking or riding isn’t safe; and
- 11% said a lack of parking or poor driving behaviour made roads around the schools unsafe.
Jo Haylen, Shadow Minister for Active Transport, is now calling on the NSW Government to listen to parents and act to make local streets safe.
Prior to the 2019 state election, Labor promised they will spend $7 million on bike paths, bike storage, and supporting road safety programs to make it easier for kids to walk and ride their bikes to school. We are glad to see their support continue on the safety of school students.
With only 23% of children active enough for good health in NSW, creating safer active transport options can be an easy way to help increase activity levels. With many children living within 2 kilometres of their school gate, it is even more crucial for streets around schools to be less dangerous.
“Safer local streets will help encourage parents to make the switch from driving their children to school to actively getting there. Helping this transition can increase the health of NSW students, reduce congestion and offer a greener option for our environment,” commented Bicycle NSW General Manager of Public Affairs, Bastien Wallace,
Bicycle NSW supports Labor’s call for more infrastructure around schools to make it safer for students to walk or ride.
