Sciennes Primary School Edinburgh Scotland Safe Routes to School Group

Safe Routes to School - for a Safer Neighbourhood

BACKGROUND

The campaign draws on the experience of other schools - especially those in the pilot projects set up by Sustrans, the charity designing and building safe routes for walkers, cyclists and people with disabilities and those working with Spokes the Lothian cycle campaign. We seek to complement the City of Edinburgh Council's Moving Forward Transportation Strategy.

An informal group of parents and teachers have been meeting since autumn 1997. Discussions have already been held with City Council officials and members of the group have participated in the Marchmont, Sciennes and Merchiston Area City Development Group.

We recognise that this is a long term campaign - but one which complements many other initiatives to improve the quality of life in the city. For further information please write to us:

c/o Sciennes School Board, Sciennes Primary School, Sciennes Road, Edinburgh EH9 1LG or phone (0131) Cathy Scott 667 6740, Kim Samouelle 667 5380 or Jez Kempston 667 1527 or email Cathy Scott at thistle@btinternet.com

AIMS

The Sciennes Primary Safe Routes To School campaign brings together parents and teachers interested in reducing the impact of cars on the neighbourhood and improving the environment for pupils and the community around the school. Our aims are to:-

1. Enable children to be safe and to feel safe walking or cycling to and from school.
2. Encourage parents to consider alternatives to driving their children to school.
3. Improve pedestrian and road safety and environmental quality for all in the neighbourhood.

OBJECTIVES

Practical Measures:

• Improve pedestrian access and facilities in the neighbourhood and encourage people to reduce car use, especially parents on the school run,
• Reduce vehicle speeds and provide safe road crossing facilities for children and the elderly.

Promoting Awareness:

• Support classroom activities which give children road safety skills and understanding of the health benefits of walking and cycling,
• Promote awareness of the wider health and environmental issues associated with traffic.

Partnership with Others:

• Build links within our community in Sciennes and the rest of the school catchment area and with other schools in Edinburgh,
• Join with the School Management, PTA and School Board to seek action from elected representatives and officers of the City Council, The Scottish Office and other bodies.

Anyone wishing to cycle to school must fill in a permit form and agree to abide by the conditions.

 

The school has recently sent out a questionnaire, based on the survey developed by Bruntsfield Primary School, to find out how children get to school and where they think the danger spots are.

Walking Train

 

A group of five families has set up a 'walking train' from the King's Buildings area. We leave at 8.25 a.m. from the corner of Macdowall Rd/Savile Place. each family has the responsibilty of taking the children up to school on one morning per week. If anyone is interested in joining us, even on an occasional basis, please contact Jane Tupper, 23 Ross Gardens, 667 8978

 

 

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