Newlands Girls’ School
((88668844003366))
SCHOOL TRAVEL PLAN
2007 – 2010
At Newlands we create confident and responsible
young women equipped with the skills they need for
the twenty first century. We empower all students to
realise their potential as part of a community
committed to lifelong learning.
CONTENTS
1. Introduction ............................................................................. 3
1.1 School Description ......................................................... 3
2. Current Situation ..................................................................... 5
2.1 Current Travel Patterns .................................................. 5
2.2 Issues and Problems ...................................................... 8
2.3 Current Achievements .................................................. 10
3. Preferred Situation ................................................................ 10
3.1 Aims of Our Travel Plan................................................ 10
3.2 Targets for Our Travel Plan .......................................... 10
3.3 Benefits of Our Travel Plan .......................................... 11
4. Implementation ...................................................................... 11
4.1 Travel Plan Partnership ................................................ 11
4.2 Consultation .................................................................. 11
4.3 Proposed Measures ...................................................... 11
4.4 Action Plan .................................................................... 13
5. Monitoring and Review ......................................................... 14
5.1 Monitoring Process ....................................................... 14
5.2 Review Process ............................................................. 14
Travel Plan Agreement ............................................................. 15
1. Introduction
1.1
School Description
Newlands Girls’ School is a comprehensive school for girls aged 11to18 and has obtained
specialist status as a Technology College. Newlands school has 1129 and 130 members
of staff.
The school is located in Farm Road on the outskirts of Maidenhead in a ward known as
Pinkneys Green and draws from the North West and East, including Holyport and Bray.
The catchement area is predominantly the Maidenheads SL6 postcode but some parents
send their children here from Slough which is 5 miles from Maidenhead.
Newlands catchment areas highlighted in black
Newlands Girls’ School
Furze Platt School
Cox Green School
Altwood School
Desborough School
The main student access route is along the busy A4 Bath Road and is surrounded by
residential areas. Currently there are no measures installed to control the flow of traffic and
the national speed limit is 40 miles per hour. Pedestrian and vehicular access to the
school is either via Newlands Drive or Farm Road and deliveries are made on a daily basis
via the latter.
The site is open from 7.30am to 10.00pm and is used in the evening by local community
groups. The school day starts at 8.45am and finishes at 3.35pm. The school has a
comprehensive range of extra curricular activities which take place at lunchtime and after
school. Generally after school activities will finish by 5.00pm to enable members of the
local community to use our facilities.
3
Newlands
Roads in close proximity to Newlands Girls’ School.
Major roads surrounding Newlands Girls’ School
An Ariel view of Newlands Girls’ School
4
2. Current Situation
2.1
Current Travel Patterns
The School survey was taken out during Term 1 of the school year 2006/2007. A
questionnaire was given to all staff members and to all pupils in Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
and 13.

Tables and graphs showing results of school travel survey, including usual mode of
transport to and from school, and preferred mode of travel (include members of staff).
Home Postcode - Staff and Pupils Combined
Home Postcode - Staff and Pupils Combined
Number of staff/pupils
3%
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
18%
126
106
105
SL6 2
SL6 3
3%
7%
5%
SL6 4
SL6 5
52
29
11%
15
SL6
SL6 1
9%
74
32
SL6 0
5%
131
89
50
SL6
2%
181
11%
SL6 6
SL6 7
13%
SL6 0 SL6 1 SL6 2 SL6 3 SL6 4 SL6 5 SL6 6 SL6 7 SL6 8 SL6 9 Other
13%
SL6 8
SL6 9
Other
5
These graphs relate to the full range of postcode areas in which both staff and pupils travel
to and from school
2%- Staff and Pupils Combined
Travel to School
Travel to School - Staff and Pupils Combined
0%
Number of staff/pupils
700
11%
588
600
1%
500
25%
Walk
2%
400
Car
Cycle
244
300
200
Taxi
107
100
24
9
Cycle
Taxi
3
15
Train
Other
Bus
Train
0
Walk
Car
Bus
Other
59%
Mode of transport
Travel from School - Staff and Pupils Combined
Travel from School - Staff and Pupils Combined
2%
Number of staff/pupils
600
0%
498
500
14%
Walk
1%
400
308
31%
2%
300
Car
Cycle
200
Taxi
135
100
22
8
Cycle
Taxi
4
15
Train
Other
Bus
Train
0
Walk
Car
Bus
Other
50%
Mode of transport
Number of staff/pupils
Preferred Mode of Transport - Staff and Pupils
Combined
500
Preferred Transport
1%Mode - Staff & Pupils Combined
1%
8%
422
1%
400
283
300
Walk
29%
Car
16%
200
Cycle
150
Taxi
78
100
Bus
13
12
5
Train
Other
Train
0
Walk
Car
Cycle
Taxi
Bus
Other
44%
Mode of transport
Reason travel by car - staff
40
Reason travel by car - staff
35
Number of staff
35
30
25%
25
20
Distance
Time
15
En route
15
2%
8
10
0%
5
1
0
1
2%
0
Distance
Time
En route
Road
Safety
Personal
Safety
Too much
to carry
6
13%
58%
Road Safety
Personal Safety
Too much to carry
Responses
Walk
Cycle
Car
Taxi
Bus
Train
Current travel mode to
school*
244
24
588
9
107
3
Current travel mode
from school*
308
22
498
8
135
4
Preferred travel mode*
283
150
422
13
78
12

Schools are required to report absolute figures
SL6
32
SL6 0
SL6 1
SL6 2
SL6 3
SL6 4
SL6 5
SL6 6
SL6 7
SL6 8
SL6 9
15
50
89
74
106
126
131
105
52
29
Main Reason for Travelling by Car
Distance
Total
337
Time
84
En route
128
Road Safety
19
Personal Safety
25
Too much to carry
50
Number of pupils & staff surveyed
1233
Number of responses received
990
7
2.2
Issues and Problems

School access points and existing transport facilities (e.g. staff / visitor car parking,
cycle parking, cycle routes, bus stops, etc)
A turning circle is located at the front of the school on Farm Road, although it is not used
effectively – parents abandon their cars and/or double park stopping the flow of traffic.
This in turn causes Farm Road and adjoining roads to become gridlocked. The installation
of barriers located on the edge of the pavement outside the school on Farm Road would
prevent motorists mounting the pavements to gain access into the school. Pedestrians
would be able to exit the school safely, rather than having to dodge oncoming traffic.

Congestion / parking issues
46% of pupils expressed concern of the general congestion caused by traffic on route to
school and specifically around Farm Road and the entrance and exit out of Newlands
School. Encouraging a left hand turn only out of the school gates during peak times would
help reduce some of this congestion.

Road safety issues
46 traffic accidents have occurred within a 1000m radius from the school over the last 5
years. 6 of those have resulted in serious injury, 8 have involved pedestrians and 12
incidents have involved children aged sixteen and under. An 11 year old girl was involved
in a traffic incident as a pedestrian before school on Highway Avenue. 12 traffic incidents
occurred on the A4 (Bath Road) between (not on) the A404 roundabout and the turnings to
Westborough Road and Courthouse Road. Two of those incidents were 12 year old pupils
involved as pedestrians. These are very busy roads with cars travelling at speed in places
and very few gaps in the traffic – enticing people to unfortunately take a risk. Some parts
are unsighted as traffic tends to congregate around the shops at the bottom of High Way
Avenue.

Personal security issues
The personal safety issues tend to focus on the amount of cars around rather than a
problem with bullying or strangers.

Barriers to walking and cycling;
35% of pupils indicated that they would like additional pedestrian safety measures put into
place, specific areas identified were crossing the A4 at the Highway Avenue/A4 turning,
crossing at Pinkney’s Road and also crossing Farm Road. The congestion outside the
school itself is also a cause for concern with regards to safety.

Barriers to bus use
21% would like an improved bus service. Most common concerns were the bus being late
or not turning up at all and the price of the bus fare; this is felt to be very expensive.

Transport issues affecting participation in after school activities
Lack of public transport
8

Issues affecting the local community (e.g. blocked driveways)
form students are discouraged from driving into school as we do not have the facilities
to enable them to park, unfortunately some students started to park in adjacent streets,
leading to a couple of neighbors complaining. Being a public highway we are unable to
enforce any ruling and presently the situation is not serious enough for us to address
formally.
6th
There has been a number of complaints from the Newlands Drive, Residents Society with
regards to pupils being dropped and picked up, they have tried to block parking in
Newlands Drive completely.
Farm Road is grid locked between 8.30 and 9.00 and also between 3.30 and 4.00pm.
Newlands
Girls School
National Cycle Network route nearest to Newlands Girls’ School
9
2.3
Current Achievements
A number of measures have been taken to improve travel to and from school. These
include:







Once way system – one gate in and one out;
Marked parking bays;
Students dismount their cycles and walk into/out of the school;
Good relationships with local police liaison Officers;
Health and Safety aspects feature in the PSHE lessons;
Regular newsletters highlight travel issues;
Teachers supervise students leaving school at the end of the day;
Road safety training for 6th form new drivers.
3. Preferred Situation
3.1
Aims of Our Travel Plan
The aims of this travel plan are:








3.2
To encourage more students to walk and cycle to school;
To promote a healthy lifestyle through increased exercise;
To encourage parents and staff to participate in a car share scheme;
To reduce the number of students travelling to and from school by car;
To reduce environmental damage caused by unnecessary car use;
To promote awareness of safety issues amongst parents, staff, students and
visitors to the school;
To improve the accessibility of the school site for parents, staff and visitors to the
school;
To improve relations with the local residents;
To improve pedestrian crossing facilities.
Targets for Our Travel Plan
The following targets have been set in relation to our aims:





To work with RBWM to improve signage and traffic flow and to reduce illegal
parking;
To develop an improved access plan with RBWM for staff, parents and visitors to
the school;
Reduce the number of complaints from local residents in relation to inconsiderate
and dangerous parking outside the school;
To introduce a car share scheme for parents and staff;
To encourage 7% of pupils to cycle to school by 2010. This would depend on
‘Safer Routes’ to school being ut in by RBWM.
To encourage 28% of pupils to walk to school by 2010. This is an increase of 2%.
This would depend on ‘Safer Routes’ to school being ut in by RBWM.
10


3.3
To reduce the number of pupils travelling to school by car to 59% to 50% by 2010.
This takes into account the increase in walking and cylcing.
Raise awareness of safety issues amongst parents, staff, students and visitors to
the school.
Benefits of Our Travel Plan
The main benefits of our Travel Plan can be summarised as follows:




Increase health awareness;
Increase travel choice and sustainable travel;
Reducing levels of traffic congestion and pollution at school pick up/drop off times
during term time;
Increased safety for students, staff, residents, pedestrians and motorists;
Improve community relations by causing less disruption and inconvenience;
4. Implementation
4.1
Travel Plan Partnership
Implementation of the travel plans will be achieved through input from the Headteacher,
Leadership Team, members of staff and school council. Parents and Governors will be
involved where appropriate. Existing good relationship with the local authority and police
will facilitate progress. Pupil well-being will be promoted through our work in achieving our
Healthy Schools Award.
4.2
Consultation
Staff and pupils were surveyed and travel arrangements were discussed at the school
council. The Governors Site and Building committees have discussed the school travel
Plan. The Parents Association has been consulted. Contact has been made with the
Borough Road Safety Officer and the local police/schools liaison officer
4.3
Proposed Measures
Education and Training
 Introduce cycle training scheme.
 Maintain our Healthy Schools award
 Incorporate road safety and travel issues into appropriate subject areas.
Information and Promotion
 Use school newsletter to promote travel plan issues.
 Incorporate the travel plan within the school website.
11
School Travel Policy
 Include travel policies in the prospectus.
 Introduce car sharing scheme.
 Research and review Bus Provision
Security
 Improve signage.
Safety
 Improve crossing arrangements on Pinkneys Green, Farm Road and A4 with a
pedestrian crossing between Altwood School fields and the Vets Surgery.
 Discourage illegal parking through installation of better signage and the addition of
zig zags yellow lines outside the school.
 New pedestrian access into school away from cars, with the addition of a barrier
located on the edge of the pavement to stop cars mounting the pavement and
ensure the girls filter out of school in an orderly fashion rather than spill in the path
of oncoming cars.
 Egde liner bollards at the junction of Headington Road top prevent bad parking
blocking sight lines
 20 mph zone outside the school
 Public transport review including prices
 RBWM to link school to Local and National Cycle Network Routs.
 Encourage one way system out of school using signage within school
 Encourage good maintenance of bikes

12
4.4
Action Plan
What is to be done
Reduce parking directly outside school by improved
signage and edge liner bollards at the junction of
Headington Road.
Improve flow of traffic leaving school site with
signeage to indicate one way direction when leaving
school site between the hours surrounding the
beginning and end of school day
Improve pedestrian access to and from School by
separating pedestrian access from school access
RBWM to investigate implementation of Safer Routes
to School Measures identified in Section 4.3 of the
STP.
Devise, introduce a car sharing scheme which can be
run using www.schoolrun.org an online service
Incorporate road safety and travel issues into PSHE
lessons and other appropriate subject areas
Investigate improvements in the provision of Bus
services – provision and cost of
On site cycle maintenance session
Consider road safety training for both cyclists and
new drivers
Continue to use school newsletter and regular
communication with parents to inform and promote
school travel plan issues
Incorporate the school travel plan, cycle routes and
bus timetables onto the school website
Include travel plan issues in school prospectus
Maintain Healthy Schools Award
Who is
Cost
responsible
Headteacher/
Subject to approval
RBWM/Local Police
Funding
Source
Subject to approval
Timescale for
completion
Subject to approval
Site Manager
Subject to approval
STP Funding
March 2007
Site Manager
Subject to approval
STP Funding
Summer 2007
RBWM Highway
Group Manager
TBC
Deputy Head Pastoral
Head of PSHE
HOYS
Site Manager
RBWM Safer
Routes to School
Budget
£500 to join website
STP Funding
and in school time.
In school time
School Budget
Starting April 2007
onwards
September 2008
September 2007
In school time
School Budget
September 2007
Deputy Head Pastoral
Deputy Head Pastoral
Headteacher and
PA
In school time
STP Funding
September 2007
In school time
School budget
December 2007
In school time
School budget
September 2007
Deputy Head Curriculum
Headteacher
Asst Head
In school time
School budget
July 2007
In school time
In school time
School budget
School budget
September 2007
annually
13
5. Monitoring and Review
5.1
Monitoring Process
Monitoring of travel patterns will be carried out through an on-line survey to parents every
18 months and the annual ‘hands up’ survey done by RBWM.
Results will be reported to pupils, parents, Governors and RBWM.
5.2
Review Process
The school council will discuss travel issues annually, including the effectiveness of the
measures implemented and report these to the Headteacher. There will be a full review
after 3 years. Annual Travel Surveys will be used to measure delivery of targets and
school council will address measures used to meet them. Results will be reported to
RBWM Transport Policy Officer.
Review of the Travel Plan will be the responsibility of a Deputy Headteacher and the Site
Manager who will report to the Senior Leadership Team. Revision and additions to the
plan will be made in consultation with all stakeholders.
Close liaison will be maintained with RBWM officers and the local police. The Governors
Site and Buildings committee will continue to monitor site and safety issues as a part of
their remit and make appropriate recommendations.
14
Travel Plan Agreement
We support the content of our School Travel Plan.
School Staff
School Governors
Parents Association
Pupils
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
15