Ministerial Statement: Transport Minister encourages community to walk safely ..

[ozbob]

Minister for Transport
The Honourable Rachel Nolan
11/05/2009

Transport Minister encourages community to walk safely to school

Parents and carers have been urged to join in the fun of Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 15 May.

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan said this national day of walking was an occasion to show support for a healthy, sustainable form of transport.

"This is a great opportunity for parents to spend some value time with their children while teaching them one of the most important messages in life - road safety," she said.

"At the same time, the exercise will get more parents thinking twice before jumping into their cars.

"People walking their children to school don't contribute to traffic congestion or vehicle emissions - and they do their own health a favour. Everyone should get behind initiatives such as this," Ms Nolan said.

Ms Nolan congratulated the school communities across Queensland that have established "walking buses", where groups of children walk together under the supervision of adults as a fun, healthy and safe way to get to and from school.

Ms Nolan said the government worked closely with school communities and local councils to identify and implement road safety measures to protect students at all schools.

This included:

?Ongoing funding of $4 million each year to provide safe set down areas for buses at schools, usually in partnership with local councils

?A further $1 million each year for other road safety infrastructure around schools

?School Road Safety Committees, guided by departmental road safety managers, that identify issues such as the need for 40kmh zones and safe set down areas at each school

?1,165 supervised school crossings, staffed by 1,831 supervisors at 639 schools - every school day, at least 30,000 students use supervised crossings across Queensland, and at least 176,500 vehicles pass through these crossings.

Ms Nolan said it was vital that parents and carers provide road safety advice to their children from an early age - especially about how to cross roads safely.

"The idea of this day's activity is to encourage parents and carers to walk to school with children to demonstrate safe pedestrian behaviour," she said.

"Most car trips to school are within walking distance. You can significantly reduce traffic congestion around schools by walking these trips.

"If school is too far away from home to walk, you can combine the walk with public transport. Or try leaving the car at least one kilometre from your destination and walk the rest of the way.

"It's very important that all motorists take extra care on Friday because there will be more children walking around schools.

"If you are driving near a school, please be patient at crossings where parents will be teaching their children about road safety and how to safely cross the road.

Walking is a smart travel option. For more information on walking, check Queensland Transport's website at www.transport.qld.gov.au.

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[ozbob]

Premier and Minister for the Arts
The Honourable Anna Bligh
14/05/2009

PREMIER URGES QLD FAMILIES TO WALK SAFELY TO SCHOOL

Premier Anna Bligh today urged families across the State to participate in the national Walk Safely to School Day on Friday 15 May.

Ms Bligh said the national event, designed to raise awareness about road safety, fitness and the environment, was a great opportunity for communities to get involved and get active.

"One of my Government's Q2 targets is to see Queenslanders become Australia's healthiest people, and encouraging children to walk safely to school is a great way for them to get into regular exercise from an early age.

"It's the habits our kids learn at an early age that tend to stick with them for life, and being a healthy, active child is a great foundation for them to grown into healthy, active adults.

"The initiative is also a great opportunity for parents and carers to teach their kids about road safety and safe pedestrian behaviour.

"I am very pleased to see 130 Queensland schools have registered their participation in the 2009 event - a 30 percent increase on last year.

"I urge all school communities across the State to get involved and promote walking safely to school as a fun and healthy way to travel," she said.

For more information about Walk Safely to School Day visit www.walk.com.au

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[Jon Bryant]

Surely this program should be mandatory for State Schools including the publishing of the % of children and techers walking, cycling or taking public transport to schools plus the CO2 reduction achieved against benchmarls.

The private schools are worse (e.g. Churchie) and any Government funding should be lined to how they are performaing in this area.  The burden driving ort kids is placing on our roads, environment, etc. is enourmous.