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

[amispeakingintongues]

Just that really.

Hit me with your suggestions please.

School and work being closer to home. It's a 15 min drive to DDs school and another min or two onto my school. I already leave at 7.30, ready for the 7.45 breakfast club drop off and 7.50-7.55 start needed before lessons start for me at 8.30. I am not getting up any bloody earlier!

Will ditch completely once DD gets the school bus, at the moment we drive and park a short walk away, I actually really love the walk in all weathers, feel really jealous of people living within walking distance!

Living within a 30 min walk of the school my kids got in to.

Not having to be at work immediately after dropping off at breakfast club.

Not having to work

Not having to be at work literally ten mins after banging the door down of breakfast club so I can make it through rush hour traffic by the skin of my teeth.

Ironically the school is at the end of my road so probably quicker to walk, but I need to literally race to get to work so no time to walk back and get in car.

Pavements on the route between our house and the school.

A time machine

People park directly outside our house to drop kids at school, so if we drove we'd probably have to park further away!

Not answering your question directly, but being within walking distance of the school wins out every time

A walking bus would have been brilliant for us.

School was a mile walk with a really tricky road to cross (blind bend with no pavement on one side, really busy mini roundabout junction on the other).
Work is a two mile walk. Problem was that school didn't start until 8.55, and the mile was in the opposite direction to work. So I'd be starting a 3 mile walk at 9.00am (having already done a mile), not getting into work until approx 9.45.

A walking bus would have meant ditching the DC somewhere local at about 8.30, and then doing only a two mile walk, so in work for 9.00. I'd have been very happy to take my turn manning the "bus" on my non working day.

Alternatively, more and better safe crossing points would have made it safe for them to walk independently a couple of years earlier.

A school bus! I have thought for years that DD's school, located inconveniently a mile-ish in either direction from stations and completely clogged with parents' cars, ought to pay someone to drive a minibus that shuttles between the two stations and the school for an hour in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. It'd be awesome -- drop off and commute into London sorted in one fell swoop! This would avoid parents leaving cars parked on local roads all day as well.

I suggest it every year in the parent survey but no interest as far as I know.

We've walked/scooted it a few times. It took the best part of an hour due to the difficulty of the road crossings especially the large roundabout. Who has time?

Save cycle paths.
I grew up abroad and always cycled to school. It was great.
No way am I doing that to DD in this country. I'd like her to not die.

Can't even walk to school- a) It is about 1.5mile away so takes to long to get back in time for work (I work from home) and b) We have to cross a dual carriageway which has zero pedestrian crossings and no lollipop people.

Safe, not save

A friend of mine drives to school, to then drive to the gym, to then go on the treadmill for 30 mins and drive home. She live 15 min walk from school. For some people, nothing will change them. They’re dependant on a car and the thought of walking instead would seldom cross their minds.
For me I started walking when I started working from home to prevent myself being lazy. I love it now and walk in all weathers, love the chats with my kids on the walks too.

My kids are in 3 different schools, 2 in one town but on opposite sides and 1 in another town as he couldnt get into the aforementioned school.

I have no choice but to drive as I have 15 minutes to get between all 3 and only 1 is at best a walkable distance.

Well nothing really. School only 2 miles away but it's not safely walkable because it's rural and down single track, natural speed limit country lanes with no footpaths. Even with footpaths it'd be hazardous it's far too narrow. I also have a child with additional needs who wouldn't be able to get the school bus even if there were on available for her, which there isn't.

So I drive it twice a day.

Being closer to the school
Footpath from my house to the school
Not having to get to work straight away

Cold hard cash

😂

I still drop ds off in the car, he's going into year 10 in September. A druggy free route is all I ask for, it's about 18 minutes walking to school, his school starts at 8 am so streets are quiet and he has to walk past an area which is notorious for drugs.
F the local police would step up and do something then I'd let him walk. He walks back daily at 3 but it's alot busier so safer.

Yes to school bus. Such common sense yet so few of them around… I wonder why 🤔

The issue isn’t so much walking to school as having to get to work on time.

The town I’ve just moved has loads, but its the first time i’ve lived anywhere with safe cycle lanes. Good to see kids and families using them all the time. Maybe I need a bike

Don’t blame you!

Primary school I didn’t have a real choice as I had to get to work straight after & pick up was me (usually late coming from work). Daughter attended Breakfast Club - with WFH I could walk her there early and be back in time to do my hours.
She is at secondary school now and has a 15/20 min walk - I won’t ever drive her it’s an absolute nightmare in the traffic! Probably takes longer to drive it!! I’m surprised by the amount of parents that still do the secondary drop of - school is near a train station and the traffic in the surrounding area is horrible! Three secondary schools & 4 primary’s in the area it can be a nightmare!

Nothing. School
is 9 miles away, closest bus is a 1 mile walk and would involve a bus change, kids are primary aged and I work 30 miles in the opposite direction