School Air Quality Audit—Transport
Emissions from motor vehicles are the largest single source of air pollution in South Australia,
responsible for about 70% of urban air pollution. Vehicle emissions release dangerous
pollutants (such as lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter) into the
air which can affect human health, and damage vegetation and buildings. Vehicle emissions
also contribute greenhouse gases leading to climate change.
Vehicle emissions can be reduced by:

using sustainable transport when possible (public transport, cycling, walking, carpooling)

using efficient driving habits

maintaining vehicles.
By undertaking a transport audit, schools can identify whether there are actions they can take
to reduce air pollution from vehicles and promote more sustainable behaviours within the
school community.
Auditing transport in and around the school will involve:

investigating transport infrastructure (main roads, public transport stops, etc)

observing local traffic conditions (type and flow of traffic)

surveying staff, students and visitors to identify current travel patterns to and from
school

re-looking into school policies.
Materials needed for audit

Street directory or Google map (to identify school location in relation to major roads and
public transport stops/stations).

BikeDirect Maps (if located in Adelaide). Maps can be obtained from
<www.transport.sa.gov.au/personal_transport/bike_direct/maps.asp>.

AirWatch Transport Infrastructure Audit Sheet.

AirWatch Vehicle Count Audit Sheet.

AirWatch Travel Pattern Survey Sheet.

AirWatch Travel Pattern Survey Results Sheet.

AirWatch School Policies and Activities Audit Sheet.
All AirWatch materials are attached.
Investigating transport infrastructure
Please record your results using Transport Infrastructure Audit Sheet.
1) Identify the parking areas in and around the school, and note down the number of parking
spaces and how they are allocated.
2) If public transport available in your area: Go to <www.google.com.au> and click on
‘maps’ in the top left-hand corner of the page. Type in your school name or address and
click on ‘search maps’. Zoom into the location of your school until you can see blue buses,
trains or trams showing up on the map. These icons represent a public transport stop or
station. Print the map or save it to a word document by pressing ‘shift’ and ‘print screen’ at
the same time, opening up a Word document and then clicking on ‘paste’ in the file
menu. Identify all public transport stops/station within walking distance to the school and
list these on the audit sheet. Also find out if public transport information is available at the
school for staff, student or visitor use.
3) Find out how many bicycle parking spaces are available to staff, students and visitors and
list on the audit sheet.
4) Walking and cycling routes around the school can also be examined checking whether
there are bicycle lanes (using BikeDirect maps), any trip hazards, and safe crossing points.
Observing local traffic conditions
Please record your results using table 9 on page 69 of AirWatch Primary School Workbook or
Vehicle Count Audit Sheet.
1) Organise 4 or 5 students to observe traffic at the school on a given day or even over a
week’s period.
2) Students are to base themselves near drop-off/pick-up/parking zones and car parks within
the school boundaries.
3) Students may decide to observe the traffic every hour or every couple of hours during the
school day to observe the different traffic conditions at these times, and identify any issues.
4) Using the table on page 69 of the AirWatch Primary School Workbook or the Vehicle Count
Audit Sheet, students then record the type and number of vehicles coming into the school.
5) Under adult supervision and remembering safety rules, students can also collect similar
data standing alongside local roads nearby the school. This will allow them to find out
about the type and amount of traffic in the local area.
6) Students are encouraged to answer follow-up questions on page 69 of the AirWatch
Primary School Workbook or the Vehicle Count Audit Sheet to analyse the collected data
and observations.
2
Surveying staff and students
Please record your results using Travel Pattern Survey Sheet and Travel Pattern Survey Results
Sheet.
1) Organise students into groups and allocate classes for them to survey on a given day
(using the Travel Pattern Survey Sheet) to find out current travel patterns.
2) Organise a separate group of students to survey staff (both teaching and non-teaching).
3) In addition, if the school wants to investigate how visitors travel to and from school, the
survey can also be left at the front office/reception on a given day or over a week’s period
for visitors to fill out.
4) Collate all these figures and calculate the percentage of staff, students and visitors who
travel via car, public transport, bicycle or walk and include this on the results sheet.
Investigating school policies and activities
Please record your results using the School Policies and Activities Audit Sheet.
1) Find out from relevant staff members whether there are any school policies or activities
that relate to transport, greenhouse gas reduction and/or increased health and wellbeing.
2) List these policies and/or activities on the audit sheet writing down whether they include
information about sustainable transport and/or whether there is the potential to do so
3
Transport Infrastructure Audit Sheet
Total number of parking spaces in school car park
For staff
For people with a disability
For people who car-pool
For visitors
What other parking is available around the school? (ie.
short-term parking, drop off/pick up zones)
Are there public transport stops/stations in walking distance
to school? You may wish to mark these on a map of the
local area.
Is public transport information available at the school for
staff, students and/or visitors?
Number of bicycle parks
Describe the cycling conditions around the school (see
BikeDirect maps or ask cyclists)
Describe the walking conditions around the school (ie are
there safe crossing points? Are there any potential hazards?)
 Yes
 No
List:
 Yes
 No
Vehicle Count Audit Sheet
Date:
Time:
Location:
TALLY
Motorbike
Car – 1 person
Car – 2 people
Car – more than 2 people
Bus
Van
Truck
Semi-trailer
Follow-up questions:
What time/s of the day was the most traffic observed?
What types of vehicles were in the greatest numbers?
How many vehicles only had one occupant?
What is this as a percentage of all vehicles?
What traffic issues were identified during the vehicle
count/s?
Travel Pattern Survey Sheet
Survey date:
Class name/number (if relevant):
TRANSPORT MODE
IF CAR, HOW MANY
OCCUPANTS?
STAFF, STUDENT OR
VISITOR
DISTANCE TRAVELLED
(TO AND FROM SCHOOL)
Travel Pattern Survey Results Sheet
TRANSPORT
MODE
STAFF
STUDENTS
VISITORS
Car
Bus/Train/Tram
Bicycle
Walk
Motorbike
Follow-up questions:
What transport mode had the highest percentage?
Where improvements can be made? What sustainable
transport modes could be increased?
TOTAL
PERCENTAGE
OF MODE
School Policies and Activities Audit Sheet (transport)
Policies relating to transport
Policies relating to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Policies relating to health and well-being
Follow-up questions:
For transport-related policies, do these directly or
indirectly encourage or discourage vehicle use?
Is sustainable transport included in the other policies?
If not, is there potential for it to be included?