Active School Travel Program Proves a Success

Efforts to encourage more people to use sustainable modes of transport to travel to and from school have so far proved successful throughout the Gold Coast, the local council has announced.

In its first year, the Active School Travel Program has reduced car travel to and from participating schools by around nine per cent – the equivalent of approximately 50,000 trips.

Owners of Gold Coast real estate and other locals are asked to get their children to school by walking, cycling, car-pooling or using public transport to help reduce congestion during peak periods.

Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate explained that there has been particular success for the program in some areas, as identified in a recent report.

"The independent report, which looked at two participating schools, showed that at Mudgeeraba State School 33 per cent of its students were using active travel while at Norfolk Village State School, it was 48 per cent," he commented.

This change in behaviour alone resulted in the reduction of 26 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Mayor Tate said that feedback from local schools had so far been positive and there is the possibility that an additional five schools will be signing up every year in the future.