Views & Opinion


Growing pains: transport challenges of UK’s expanding schools Comment by MATT PRICE, director of transport planning at Hexa Consulting


Since 2010, demand for school places in the UK has risen by more than 1.1 million, according to Government figures. As a result, 17% of primary schools and 22% of secondary schools are now at or in excess of capacity.


Finding space for new schools is a particularly difficult task due to land use agreements, complex feasibility requirements and funding. At Hexa, we undertake


many school expansion projects in order to help communities address growing waiting lists, as well as factor in more sustainable designs, and additional community facilities. But part of the increasing volume and size of these sites is considering the impact to the surrounding environment and communities. Connectivity, parking, congestion and accessibility issues are just some of the challenges we must find workable solutions for today, as well as for the future.


Crowd management


While pre-existing schools have been designed to sit neatly in their communities, adding further pupil capacity to those spaces can get crowded, particularly when dealing with historic sites and residential areas.


Once schools are at capacity, roads are often busy, potentially congested and transport services are already well-used. Understanding certain behaviours can be helpful here. For example, where there are multiple schools, or where a primary and secondary schools share a campus, staggered start and end times are often implemented. We know that younger children are more likely to be dropped off by parents or guardians, so streets and pavements can quickly become congested. It is also more likely for cars to be used, in an attempt to make school drops part of work commutes. By contrast, older children will potentially prefer to travel to school with friends, on foot or via public transport. By slightly altering school start and end times, it is easy to reduce the unnecessary crowding. This option is also useful for nearby residents by mitigating some of the disruptive impacts of pupil drop-off and pick-ups.


An extension of this, is School Streets – an initiative some cities have chosen to implement to further curb the use of cars for drop offs. This initiative keeps roads outside schools as traffic- free zones during key travel times, promoting walking or cycling instead, and making for a safer and healthier environment with less potential for accidents


Sustainable choices


We also have an enormous responsibility for finding greener ways to support school transport infrastructure, as part of local and national targets. As well as reducing a school’s carbon footprint, there are several health benefits for pupils, including improved air quality and promoting a more active lifestyle. A large part of school expansions is looking at improving the design of surrounding spaces, and accessibility. The need for large car parks, for example, is becoming an outdated part of school sites as shared journeys or public transport options are being encouraged. Local authorities may want to consider adding


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improved footways and cycle lanes to allow for safe, sustainable travel around education sites instead.


Sustainability targets have further enhanced the need for a School Travel Plan – a series of measures that promotes sustainable ways for the whole school community to travel to and from the site. It encourages walking, cycling, car sharing and public transport use and aims to reduce the number of car journeys to and from schools. All schools are encouraged by local authorities to have a plan in place that is adhered to - these can vary widely but are extremely useful in preparing and maintaining sustainable choices.


Safety in numbers


There is often talk of a golden era in school travel, such as those that say, ‘I used to walk five miles every day’. It paints a nice picture of a simpler time when there were less cars on the road, and children strolled eagerly to lessons. But the reality is, times and trends change, with private car ownership near the highest levels that we’ve ever seen in the UK. While we are always exploring ways to encourage walking, people are more nervous about roads now than ever before. A vicious cycle of pupils being driven to school due to safety concerns only serves to make the environment less safe and therefore make walking and cycling more difficult. With factors affecting travel choices including vehicle speed, high traffic flows, air quality and on-street parking blight – many families simply do not want their children, whatever age, to walk unaccompanied.


For those where school is walkable distance, to help encourage this option, there are ways to enhance safety such as restricting parking to lower car numbers in the area. It has caused controversy with residents who may feel targeted, but on the whole, no parking keeps roads clearer and easier to cross, makes pavements more accessible and the addition of fines for idling (leaving a car engine running) has been a success in many areas. Where possible, the introduction of breakfast clubs and after- school activities, as well as cycle-confidence and road safety training are all simple but often highly effective ways of schools and communities working together to mitigate the negative impacts of pupil car drop-off and pick-up activities.


Changing attitudes


Looking ahead, we know the increase in demand for school places is only set to continue and therefore the pressure on the surrounding infrastructure is an ongoing issue. While we, at Hexa, and the industry seek to find ways to help local authorities, schools and local communities mitigate problems, there will undoubtedly be new challenges to face in the future.


That being said, we are also in the midst of a long-term shift, with towns and cities becoming more urbanised, and a significant sway towards more community-centred and sustainable living. The need for a more tolerant approach to new and expanded schools from all angles would be positive – from local authorities, schools, parents and residents. By offering better schools and sustainable travel opportunities, everyone benefits. Education sites were once the heart of a community and it is important to remember that it is still a major factor in house prices and the quality of an area. Creativity is a key part of finding solutions but only with everyone taking responsibility and respecting each other can these solutions work.


December 2022


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