Glossary

Flexible Working

A shift away from the ‘9 till 5’. Allowing flexible working hours can reduce the impact of the rush hour. Further ‘flexibility’ such as working from home can remove the need to commute altogether. Flexible working can, however, reduce the ability to car share; there should, wherever possible, be systems in place that are sympathetic to potential car shares enjoying the same ‘flexible’ conditions, shifts, etc.

Food Miles

The number of miles that food (or other goods, for that matter) travel and hence a measure of the associated environmental impact. Buying British reduces the number of miles, buying local produce will reduce them further!

Modal Shift

A change in the usual method of travel. The Travel Plan aims to achieve modal shift to more sustainable means for each journey. For example, from driving a car with no passengers to including three other lift-sharing passengers; or, from travelling by bus to cycling.

Park and Stride

Park and Stride sites are locations away from the school site where those children who must come by car can be dropped off to complete the remainder of their journey to school on foot. The use of any site must be with the owners consent and must be capable of accommodating the additional use without creating new traffic problems. Park and Stride sites are sometimes combined with a

Travel Plan

Document detailing how a school or employer is to address non-sustainable car use to their premises. Usually looks to encourage walking, cycling, use of public transport and car sharing over single occupancy car use (or single passenger use in the case of schools)

Walking Bus

An organised group of pupils led to or from school by an adult ‘driver’ and one or more ‘conductors’. The driver and conductor are trained volunteers. The walking bus can be either from a fixed point, such as a ‘Park and Stride’ site, or along a fixed route picking up pupils along the way at pre-arranged ‘stops’.

School Travel Planning