Evaluation of the Victorian Ride2School program: Impacts and insights into promoting active travel to school

Despite the substantial health, environmental, transport and community benefits of walking and cycling to school, car travel has largely replaced active travel to school in Australia. Several programs are now being implemented aimed at increasing active travel to school. The Ride2School program, part of the Victorian Government's "Go for your life' initiative, is being implemented by Bicycle Victoria over a four year period (2006 to 2010) with additional support from VicHealth, VicRoads and Sustainability Victoria. Evaluation of the Ride2School program in 13 primary schools in Victoria in 2007 found mixed evidence of impacts on active travel to school. Parent-reported data showed a small increase in the proportion of active trips to and from school from baseline (47.9%) to follow-up (49.6%), while student-reported data indicated a small decrease (51.1% to 48.7%). Students' attitudes to active travel to school were very positive at baseline and changed little at follow-up. Indirect measures of parents' attitudes to active travel to school indicated more positive attitudes at follow-up. Evidence from this and related program evaluations indicates that sustained behaviour change activities together with supportive policy and environmental changes are required to increase rates of active travel to school.