Year-end Sale % OFF 
Abstract
Establishing a less car-oriented mobility ethos through initiatives targeting, among others, children’s travel to school could be a key for unlocking the potential for a more sustainable future. A Walking School Bus (WSB) is a relatively new and scarcely evaluated commuting mechanism that in theory provides a creative scheme capable of inspiring voluntary travel behaviour change for children and parents. Through a series of in-depth focus group sessions that were conducted in Bradford, UK this article explores the perceptions of parents that are ultimately the decision-makers about how their children go to school. This work improves the understanding of the different challenges and opportunities underpinning travel to school, in general, and WSBs, in particular, by identifying and discussing six thematic areas of critical importance that explain the decision-making behind potential WSB uptake. These are namely: logistics, safety, trust, health and wellbeing, emotional needs and educational opportunities. Finally, the paper provides policy recommendations about how WSB initiatives can become more effective and attractive mobility tools for local communities.
Highlights
School transport has transformed from the moment automobiles became the cornerstone of urban development
Vaismoradi et al (2013) and Nikitas et al (2018) argue that the selection of the most characteristic and convincing individual responses is a prerequisite for adequately reporting thematic analysis findings; this is more fitting from quantitative approaches like theme counts and analyst-deduced summaries of quotes
This study addresses a research gap referring to the lack of qualitative research on parental perceptions affecting and reflecting the uptake of Walking School Bus (WSB)
Summary
School transport has transformed from the moment automobiles became the cornerstone of urban development. Many adults see part of their parental role in getting their children to school in the car (Collins and Kearns, 2010) This is reflected in the decrease in children’s walking to school. In England four decades ago, 74% of school journeys were on foot for 5–10 year olds while in 2017 only 49% walked to school and 44% made the journey by car (DfT, 2018a). These statistics are not in line with the Government’s ambitious aim outlined in its Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy that states a commitment to have at least 55% of primary school children walking to school by 2025
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
