Congratulations to Birmingham who are third on the Modeshift leader board this spring accreditation window with 99 accredited schools in their region!
We caught up with Sandra Green, Senior Travel Demand Management Officer and Jenny Coombs, Principle Travel Demand Management Officer from the team who shared details of their recent success!
Sandra Green Senior Travel Demand Management Officer said:
‘With Birmingham being one of the largest local authorities in Europe we are never in short supply of schools to work with! Our previous team members created a strong foundation through years of intelligent and tenacious work and have left a legacy. So, although (like many others) our team has drastically reduced in size, the message from us is ‘keep focussed and keep swimming!’
Any school that approaches us with issues around parking, road safety, or air quality concerns, our first port of call is to direct them to Modeshift STARS, explaining that this scheme will help them to develop a school travel plan and deliver initiatives to enable and encourage safe, sustainable and healthy modes of travel to school. To support this, we have developed a range of toolkits including ‘Keep Clear’, ‘Switch Off’ and ‘Slow Down’ School Streets. For further information about these see: School streets | Safer, greener, healthier school travel | Birmingham City Council
Historically, we also make travel plans a condition of engineering works and School Streets schemes.
We are lucky enough to have a growing number of secondary schools who have taken part in the Active Travel Ambassador (ATA) Programme. This has increased our levels of engagement with secondary schools who, due to curriculum pressures, are notoriously hard to get in to. All schools that have worked on the ATA programme have completed travel plans.
Recently the level of support that we are able to provide directly to schools has been limited and largely consists of information, resources, and signposting to other activities and initiatives. Our termly newsletter is packed full of campaigns and resource ideas and always contains links to MSS initiative numbers. Team Modeshift have been fantastic in helping with specific queries!
We also work in partnership with other teams whose work overlaps with Modeshift, for example Clean Air, Route to Zero (climate change), Sport Birmingham etc.
We’re continuing to prioritise our work to ensure greater safety for children walking and cycling to school and have recently launched a further 3 School Streets, taking the overall number across the city to 21. The success of these, as well as being in a suitable location, is very much dependent on the school’s engagement levels with MSSs. All 3 of these new schools have taken ownership helping to communicate, promote and steward the scheme. The amazing spring weather was an added bonus!’
Jenny Coombs, Principle Travel Demand Management Officer said:
‘We’re thrilled to be working alongside Modeshift to support the growing number of secondary schools participating in the Active Travel Ambassador (ATA) Programme. This partnership has helped us break through traditional barriers and boost engagement with schools that are often hard to reach. The fact that every school involved has successfully completed a travel plan is a fantastic achievement! We’re excited to continue expanding this momentum, hear more inspiring campaign stories, and welcome even more Active Travel Ambassadors in the upcoming school year.’
