Oldham pioneers School Streets initiative for safer, healthier and greener communities

A groundbreaking scheme in Oldham is addressing long-standing issues around schools as it develops measures to transform the way children travel, writes Mark Woodhead

The decline in walking and cycling to school is a national trend, with fewer than half of primary school children walking despite living within a short distance of their school. This is posing significant risks to children's safety and contributing to a range of health and environmental issues. The shift towards car-use has contributed to a rise in road traffic accidents involving children, particularly during peak school drop-off and pick-up times. Additionally, the increased congestion and air pollution associated with car use have negative health implications for both children and adults. 

In response to these challenges, Oldham Council in Greater Manchester has embarked on a groundbreaking project to improve the safety and wellbeing of children and their parents on journeys to school, while also promoting active travel and reducing the environmental impact of commuting.

The council commissioned an assessment of active travel infrastructure around schools in the borough to identify barriers to active travel and develop strategies to encourage more pupils to walk, wheel, or cycle to school. Here were some of their key findings:

• A decline in walking levels to school: Only half of primary school children in Oldham walk to school, despite most families living within two miles of their closest school.

• Rising collision rates: The highest number of child pedestrian injuries occur during school drop-off and pick-up times.

• Declining health outcomes of pupils: Air pollution levels in Oldham are higher than World Health Organization guidelines, and obesity rates among children and adults are increasing.

• Climate emergency: Climate change is a pressing issue, and reducing car use is essential for achieving carbon neutrality.

Based on these findings, the assessment recommended several measures to improve the active travel environment around schools, including:

• Creating safer routes: Building new cycle paths and pedestrian crossings to make it easier and safer for children to walk, wheel, or cycle to school.

• Implementing traffic calming measures: Reducing vehicle speeds and improving road safety around schools.

• Promoting active travel: Educating children and parents about the benefits of active travel and providing incentives to encourage them to choose walking, wheeling, or cycling.

• Creating School Streets: Temporarily closing roads around schools during drop-off and pick-up times to create safer and more pedestrian-friendly environments.

School Streets Initiative

Oldham Council piloted a School Street project at St Anne's CofE Primary School, Royton which has been a success, with a significant reduction in car traffic outside the school and increased confidence among parents and children to walk or cycle to school. 

A ‘hands up’ survey held in the school found on average 125 cars were being driven to the school twice a day, even though most pupils live within 0.68 miles. The positive outcomes of this pilot have encouraged other schools in Oldham to explore implementing School Streets, with two further schemes (benefitting three primary schools) now operational and further schemes in development.

Alongside practical measures on the ground, Oldham Council work closely with schools on their School Travel Plan, using the platform Modeshift Stars, to ensure ongoing engagement with the school community to promote behaviour change and active travel. 

The introduction of School Streets is a massive step forward in helping to address a long-standing issue around schools. The benefits of encouraging our younger generation to become more active and not see the motor car as the solution to all travel, will help to support increased understanding and support of active travel schemes in the future, driving the generational change in travel.

Leader of Oldham Council Arooj Shah said: “Our School Streets campaign is an important step towards creating safer, healthier and more sustainable communities for our children and young people. By encouraging parents and children to walk and cycle to school, we are helping to create a culture of well-being that benefits everyone in Oldham. Together, we want to transform our streets into spaces where families feel safe to walk, cycle and enjoy their local area.

“We are also excited to have launched the first School Street in Greater Manchester to use ANPR cameras at Hey with Zion Primary School and St Edward's Primary School in Lees this September. Parents have already told us how much better this has made their journeys to school. We are incredibly proud of this success and look forward to rolling it out to more schools across the borough.”

By creating safer and more attractive environments for active travel, Oldham Council is helping to address the challenges of traffic congestion, air pollution, and childhood obesity. As the project continues to expand, it has the potential to transform the way children travel to school and create a more sustainable and equitable future for Oldham. This project also forms part of Greater Manchester’s Active Travel Mission to deliver the ‘UK’s largest’ cycling and walking network and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2038.

Mark Woodhead is Regional Director for the North West at Waterman Aspen

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