STARS

Achieve a modal shift away from the car to cycling and other active modes for the journey to and from school encouraging children and their parents and families.

Problem

Congestion and emissions, safety and accessibility of routes to and from schools.

Description

The project wants to promote the use of sustainable modes of transport to school, to foster a positive attitude towards active travel in children, and at the same time encourage parents and families to reconsider how they travel. All of the activities can be adopted according to the city’s or schools goals, target groups and budgets available.

A website was set up where students could track their cycle trips and compete with their classmates, as well as against other schools in their city and across Europe.

Results

  • The STARS Accreditation programme was delivered by all partner cities (minus Brussels). In total 188 primary schools were recruited across the project lifetime.
  • The STARS Peer-to-Peer programme was delivered by all partner cities with the exception of partner city Noord-Brabant. In total 84 schools set up Youth Travel Ambassador Schemes. More than 51,000 students have been involved in the campaigns.
  • Primary Schools: Over the course of the project a 5.7% modal shift from motorised modes to active modes of transport has been recorded.
  • Secondary Schools: over the course of the project an 8.8% modal shift from motorised modes to active modes of transport has been recorded.
  • 894 ton CO2 saved by all STARS schools in two years.

Lessons Learned

  • The positive effect of rewards generating the desired change in behaviour has been psychologically proven. Incentives and rewards do not need to be high in cost;
  • The added element of a competition can lead to an increase in motivation and achievement;
  • Activities are a good opportunity to gather data and information from cyclists;
  • Create a network of teachers and key stakeholders promoting cycling and other sustainable modes of transport to school;
  • Ensuring the project was visible was essential for engagement;
  • Communication with parents is a key factor, especially in primary schools, where they are more likely to choose how children travel to and from school. In order to ensure parents were engaged, activities were designed to bring parents, pupils and the school together.