Transport for Ireland

Safe Routes to School Annual Report: Programme marks major milestone with 400+ schools actively involved

The Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programme marked a major milestone in 2024, with over 400 schools now actively participating in efforts to make walking, cycling, and wheeling to school safer and more accessible for children across Ireland.

Safe routes to School logo SRTS-White-400 x 145The 2024 SRTS report

The Safe Routes to School Annual Report 2024 is available to at the Safe Routes to School website.

The programme, which is funded by the Department of Transport through the National Transport Authority (NTA), is coordinated by the Education and Community Action Team of An Taisce and is delivered in partnership with all 31 local authorities.

Key Highlights

Key Highlights from the 2024 Annual Report which was published this week include:

  • 412 schools are now active in the SRTS programme, with local authorities across Ireland completing infrastructure improvements at 50 schools  in 2024 alone – see before and after  video of some impressive changes
  • 141 schools joined the active programme as part of  Round 3, including 67 schools on higher speed rural roads, marking a significant expansion into rural areas.
  • 826 schools have received cycle and scooter parking, with over 10,700 cycle spaces and 5,328 scooter spaces delivered to date.
  • 64 stakeholder meetings were held in 2024, reflecting strong collaboration between schools, local authorities, and the SRTS team.

Significant difference made

The programme is making a real difference on the ground, post-intervention surveys show:

  • a 36% increase in cycling, 6% increase in walking, and a 17% decrease in car use.
  • Park and Stride, which is using existing car parking spaces within walking distance of schools, saw a 49% increase, showing strong uptake of this low-cost, high-impact initiative.
  • Air quality improvements: PM2.5 (which is a reliable signifier of man-made pollution) levels were found to be 1.5 times lower during School Street operating hours, highlighting the environmental benefits of traffic reduction.

Scoil phadraig Naofa Bandon CoCork safe zone 900x600

2025 Vision: Growing the SRTS Programme for Safer, Healthier School Travel

View the Safe Routes to School Annual Report 2024 and associated video, highlighting a range of innovative infrastructure such as School Zones, School Streets, and permeability links, as well as creative placemaking efforts led by students and school communities.

With continued support from the National Transport Authority (NTA), the Department of Transport, Education & Community Action team of An Taisce and local authorities, the  SRTS programme is set to expand further in 2025, continuing the objective to make school journeys safer, healthier, and more enjoyable for children and young people across Ireland.

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