Overview
A large proportion of transport made by households consist of driving children to school, which is one of the contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Also, this type of transport normally takes place during rush hour in the morning and afternoon, which also adds to other problems such as congestion.
Getting more children to cycle to school would therefore help reduce environmental pollution and lead to less stress on the already existing transport problems that are exacerbated by households driving children to and from school.
The STARS project has set the following targets:
- It wants to achieve at least an average of a 5% modal shift from cars to cycling during the project;
- It wants to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 3 000 to 10 000 per year;
- It wants to share the knowledge developed during the project with other cities, regions and schools, and;
- It wants to develop a Pan-European agenda to improve sustainable mobility for the transport to and from schools.
The project plans to achieve these targets by carrying out the following actions:
- By targetting schools that have an impact on the road network in terms of congestion, safety, and public transport delays;
- By guiding, encouraging and providing tools for schools to increase cycling levels and reduce the number of accidents involving young people;
- By encouraging schools to work independently as a community to commit to monitoring and evaluating their students travel activities.
STARS is setting up an accreditation scheme for primary schools and a peer-to-peer scheme for secondary schools where the students themselves are directly involved in encouraging fellow students to choose more sustainable travel modes. They also participate in a pan-european cycling challenge.
Results
- Eight cities trained and delivering the STARS programme.
- Accreditation system: Development of a pan-European toolkit, guidance and website with 18 regional accreditation conferences and one pan-European STARS accreditation conference. Participation of at least 180 schools to the scheme.
- Peer-to-peer engagement activities: Development of a Cycle Challenge website, at least 90 secondary schools engaged in peer-to-peer engagement activities through the STARS Youth Travel Ambassador Scheme; A pan-EU Cycle Challenge website focusing on the ‘Game generation’ – using a social media theory to allow schools and pupils with a tool to monitor, compare and stimulate cycling activities.