What would convince you to ditch the car on school runs?

[amispeakingintongues]

Just that really.

Hit me with your suggestions please.

If there was a walk to school group in a handy drop off point.

Being within walking distance of school.

Better weather 😂 We already bike to school as often as possible, but if it’s absolutely hammering down DS gets upset (additional needs), and there was no way I was going to bike when it was 40°! But the rest of the time we try to bike, unless I have to get straight off to a client appointment as soon as I’ve dropped off.

If I didn't have to drop the 2 DC off at different places in different directions and if DS school was not at the top of a very steep cliff.

Not being 5 miles from school.

Safe walking route. We live in a rural village and it's about 4 miles to school. I wouldn't be adverse to walking in the summer but the road is a 60mph winding road with no pavements or verges. It's just not safe.

Not having a disabled child.

but on the whole I don’t think most people will change. Our old primary school offered walking buses and places a few minutes walk away to park and walk in but they weren’t used as most still wanted to be in 3 seconds of the front door.

The secondary school have a good bus system but again many don’t make use of them.

Not having to do 2 dropoffs nearly 6 miles apart and having to be ready to start work at 0900!

I've never taken the car to school. But we can see the school from our house.

Living close enough. Just finished doing a 20min nursery run each way (we moved house and are now much further away). From September, we will be a 3min walk to school and I can't wait! It will definitely be quicker to walk than get 2 kids strapped in, drive the 30secs round the corner and then get them back out again at the other end. And I'll save loads on fuel too!

Not having to go to work straight from drop off. There isn't time to walk home and then get to work.

Not living 8 miles from nearest school.

not having a car in the first place (only half joking)

I do as I need to get to work/DD to nursery and not being able to "lose" 40 mins twice a day walking there and back. I'm hoping DS will cycle/walk more next year when he's a bit older.

Nothing. I have to work, I have to drive to work, there's no time to dump DD and walk back to pick up the car, I need the hours so even a later start wouldn't do it.

I suppose a school bus that picked up door to door maybe. But that's driving anyway.

Not having to travel to work! But hey that's never going to happen.

The vast majority who can easily walk probably do, parking at schools is a PITA.
The rest are often going straight to work, shopping or something. People work further away, they need to get there. Lots of work places are "out of town" just to make the commute harder on public transport.

My DDs were always picked up by the school bus, as our village was 16 miles from their high school. They walked to the village primary, as it was about 200 yards away!
I only drove them to high school once, when the bus broke down and they were stranded at the bus stop. Fortunately, the hospital where I worked was only a mile from the school, so I dropped them en route.

I am three miles from the primary school. I could in summer perhaps walk this sometimes via a park but there is no safe walking route as per many villages on an A road.

Of the 5 Primary schools weve used...

1. 12 minute walk (20 at preschooler pace) or 5 minute cycle. We usually cycled.
2. 30 minutes on the official school bus (stop 5 minutes walk from house to drop them off)
3. 20 minutes in council taxi
4. 20 minute drive or 45 minute walk each way
5. 2 minute walk.

We walked when we lived in sensible distance. We occasionally walked school 4, but I mostly didn't have time to do a 90 minute round trip.

Bullies being kicked off the bus.

DD used to take a public bus to school. However, the behaviour of a group of children on the bus has meant she has lost her confidence using public transport alone.

She has ADHD and ASD so is more sensitive than some others, however, anyone who misbehaves on a bus should be kicked off IMO.

The bus drivers turn a blind eye. There's more than 1 school involved and the schools can't control out of school behaviour.

In order to get her to and from school safely and without anxiety I drive her. It's 3 miles each way.

Having a bus route near house that goes to the school
School bus
Safer bike routes
Better weather!!

Being walking distance from the school and not having to be in work ten minutes after breakfast club starts.

Being in catchment for, and hence getting a space in, the school at the end of the road, rather than in the next town over.

Not having to get to work 10 minutes after dropping off child with work being a 10 minute drive from school.

I lived within walking distance of the school but if I walked to school and back again then drove past the school ten miles into work was late.

So in answer to your question.... either a house nextdoor to the school or a new job