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Bizarre PR from ETA Muddles Facts on School Run

No Wonder Transport Policy is on Another Planet


The ABD today cited a PR from the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) as an example of the muddled thinking on transport which leads to the daft policymaking we have seen over the past twenty years.


The ETA issued a press release (full text below) on 7 September claiming that the School Run actually reduces congestion.


A spokesperson for the ETA said: "If every child started walking to school then by next year there would be no lull in traffic levels over the summer holidays - the extra road space would quickly be filled by business and commuter traffic."


"This statement shows a complete lack of understanding of the effect of the school run on traffic and of the nature of the lifestyle decisions which drive commuting patterns," said the ABD's Nigel Humphries. "This type of thinking is being applied to transport policy both nationally and locally, so its not surprising that Britain's transport network is increasingly divorced from the needs of the people."


The general lull in traffic in school holidays is nothing to do with the school run, its driven by the fact that working people with families take their holidays at the same time as the schools, and so commuting and business travel are reduced at these times. People with children also tend to commute further, as their choices as to where to live are constrained by school concerns not merely what is convenient for the adults. So the suggestion that the roads around schools would fill up during the holidays is simply ridiculous - the traffic does not exist because its on holiday too - all sitting on the M5 trying to get to Cornwall!


The ingrained idea behind this argument - that empty roads fill up with traffic for no apparent reason - is what has led the ETA to make this obviously ludicrous statement. This argument has been used against road building and to support the removal of roadspace from traffic on the basis that creating congestion is a good thing because it deters traffic.


Used in the context of schools, the absurdity can be clearly seen - school run driving patterns are different from commuting ones and tend to create congestion in residential areas near the schools that are otherwise deserted at those times of day. Only where a school is sited on a commuter route do the two collide, and then commuters will shift their route or their time in the morning - so an increase in children walking to school and consequent reduction in school run congestion will do nothing but make peoples lives a little easier and mitigate congestion over a wider area - an all round good thing!


"We are mystified by the ETA's approach here - surely they should be doing everything possible to encourage children to walk to school, which is a good thing, rather than undermine this goal," concluded Humphries.


ENDS

ETA PR TEXT


The school run reduces congestion


The popular belief that without the school run traffic would always run as freely as in the holidays is false, and far from adding to congestion, the school run reduces it in cities according to the Environmental Transport Association (ETA).


A spokesperson for the ETA said: "If every child started walking to school then by next year there would be no lull in traffic levels over the summer holidays - the extra road space would quickly be filled by business and commuter traffic."


Although in a perverse way the school run appears to restrict congestion, the ETA is not campaigning for more people to drive their kids to school; children commuting to school by car have as much (or as little) right to travel in this way as anyone else, but there are many environmental, health and social reasons why children are better off walking or cycling.

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Some people have to much time on their hands, we all know that when the schools are off the traffic is 90% lighter, our lot started back on Monday and it was back to chaos round here, every major artery into town and out of town was blocked up with cars taking kids to school.

Perhaps a better bus service for schools would be the answer and a No Stopping area of about 1 mile around all schools. Obviously residents would need passes to park outside their homes and it would have to be enforced

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

Been saying that for years Toots, I live 11 doors away from a school and guess what? My neighbour takes her daughter to school in the car. It's a nightmare round here when the schools are back, you see all the cars with mummy driving it aided with Sat Nav with the little darling sat in the back. Why do they need Sat Nav to take the kids to school?

Don't start me off about the stupid lard ar*e lazy parents and mothers who need a sat nav to find the f in kitchen and cook a decent meal for their kids. It's all about status with the cars and ladies that do lunch ffs and anything to keep the kids quiet it makes me want to scream. No wonder the government are now having to spend money to educate the kids on exercise and eating properly cos the parents don't bother. One of my hates are kids wrapped in cotton wool and given everything they want at the drop of hat. Now we have reports condoning the parents behaviour and giving them the perfect excuse to be lazy and not teach the children how to use public transport (what little there is of it)

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!