A 'Five Minute' Walking Zone

What Is a Five Minute Walking Zone?

A Five Minute Walking Zone is an innovative initiative which aims to reduce traffic congestion around the school while enabling everyone to walk for at least part of their school journey. The zone is a boundary line around the school site from which parents and pupils are encouraged to walk.

How Does it Work?

The zones are very simple to set up. Pupils with the support from adult volunteers can set up a zone for their own school as part of their National Curriculum project work. Pupils are divided into groups with an adult volunteer and given maps of the local area. They set out from the school on every available walking route. Each group walks their route for five minutes; at the end of the five minutes the groups stop and mark on their map their location. On the return walk to the school, the pupils can take photographs of hazards or make observations about their local environment.

Back in the classroom, each group marks on a larger plan of the area the different points that they reached. The points are then joined together to create the Five Minute Walking Zone.

In order to publicise and promote the existence of the Five Minute Walking Zone, it is a good idea for pupils to mark out the boundaries of the zone. This can be achieved either by creating design artwork for special signs to display at various locations at the boundary of the zone, or thinking of other ways to demarcate the boundary. It is important that the new zone is promoted to all of the school community. Creating an information leaflet encourages parents to participate. A special launch event is another effective way of ensuring that the whole school community is aware of and participates in the Five Minute Walking Zone.

For an example of a Five Minute Walking Zone in action visit The Five Minute Walking Zone Case Study page

For more information on other walking initiatives see school travel planning encouragement and enabling.