Some evidence exists that environmental and policy interventions to promote active travel (e.g. walking and cycling) to school may be effective. However, few studies describe reasons for success or the influence of the wider social, political or physical context. This study aims to understand how children and their families experience environments and make decisions around school travel in two Healthy New Town sites, an affluent area of Cambridgeshire and in a deprived area of Darlington.

• Aims of the study
• Design
• Investigators
• Status
• Unit role
• Sponsors
• Partners and stakeholders
• Funding
• Data sharing

Aims of the study:

Research Questions

1. How do children (aged 8-12) and their families’ in two Healthy sites experience their school journeys?
2. How do these experiences and past and present local active school travel initiatives affect their travel mode practices?

Objectives

1. To investigate how children and their families’ (aged 8-12) in two Healthy New Town sites experience and negotiate environments on their journeys to and from school
2. To explore how experiences of the journey to school and decision making may have changed under social distancing measures
3. To understand local school-based initiatives for promoting active school travel
4. To explore how any local initiatives to promote active school travel, both pre- and during the COVID-19 pandemic, have been experienced and affected families travel modes
5. To understand how individual, socioeconomic, geographic contexts affect families’ experiences and decisions surrounding school travel

Design:

We will recruit up to 10 children and one adult member of their household/family from each site (Darlington and Northstowe) (n= 20 families) to a take part in the study. This will consist of children from across the school years 4-8 (ages 8-12). We aim to recruit and interview 1-2 members of staff from each school (n=6-12).

Data collection includes a number of qualitative methods:

1. Children will be asked to take photographs of their journeys to school and discuss them to give more insight into the school journey.
2. Guided tour of the child’s walk to school (optional) & questions whilst travelling to school
3. Interview with parents about their experience of their child’s journey to school, and if the pandemic has affected how they make decisions about school travel.
4. Observations and informal conversations with adults at the school gate
5. Interviews with teachers and staff on school travel policies

Investigators

Chief/Principal investigator

Dr Jenna Panter – University of Cambridge

Research team

Dr Emma Lawlor – University of Cambridge

Dr Stephanie Morris – University of Durham

Professor Carolyn Summerbell – University of Durham

Professor Tessa Pollard – University of Durham

Status

Completed.

Unit role

Unit led study for the Cambridge site (Northstowe) with responsibility for data.

Sponsors

The study is sponsored by Durham University.

Funding

This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (SPHR). The study is part of a wider grant to explore individual and environmental approaches to promote alternatives to the car.

Data sharing

Please see our Data Sharing pages.