Bicycle Network's recent Open Streets trials at Moreland Primary School, in partnership with Merri-bek City Council, has had a positive impact on active travel amongst kids.
The trials were undertaken between August and September in partnership with Merri-bek City Council, as part of their Ride&Stride Program. Across three Fridays in both the morning and afternoons, Blair Street was opened to walking and riding only, to encourage active travel to school.
Open Streets aims to create safe spaces around school for walking, riding, and gathering. It is based on a vision of neighbourhood streets as multiuse spaces that can be utilised by everyone, not just drivers. Parents consistently report traffic and congestion around the school gates as barrier to letting their children walk or ride to school, and when large numbers of students are driven to and from school, traffic management becomes another responsibility of teachers.
The Open Streets trials aim to alleviate the issue of school gate congestion, reduce air and noise pollution, and provide safe areas for families and residents to play and socialise.
Before, during, and after these trials we conducted surveys of both the school community and neighbouring residents. We are proud to now be able to provide a preliminary report on our findings. A full report, including traffic monitoring findings from each set of Open Street trials, will be published after the conclusion of all Open Streets for 2022.
The key stats:
- The active travel rate on Open Streets days average 65.4%, with a peak of 70.6% in the second week. This average is a 16.8% increase on a baseline measurement taken at the school earlier in the year.
- On the days of the trials 50% of survey respondents said that they rode more, and 40% said that they walked more.
- 100% of survey respondents felt that Blair St was safe to walk or ride along on trial days, compared to only 43% on normal school days.
- 97.5% of the respondents would like to see more Open Streets in the future
These figures are encouraging signs that this kind of initiative can help create meaningful change in how we move about. They also show the appetite for active travel within the community and the need to cater to active travel through infrastructure and community programs.
We also collected responses from the students. Children’s perspectives are often overlooked in town and transport planning, but they can provide valuable insight into what places can be safe and inviting for everyone.
What students told us
“It’s more fun and less petrol is being used” - Rosie
“I like riding bikes and skating to school” - Rafif
“I like the extra time with friends and it’s a good start to the day” – Anon
You can read the Open Streets one-page report here.
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