Supplementary evidence from Stephen Twigg
MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (ST 37)
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify
before the Committee last month.
Having reflected on the Committee's proceedings,
I thought that I should write to clarify one or two points on
the operation of the enhanced capital grants paid to schools engaged
in school travel planning, as I feel that there may be a danger
of misunderstanding what is involved.
As you know, DfES and DfT would like every school
to put in place a travel plan over the next few years to tackle
rising car use on the journey to school. Each travel plan will
set out what the school, local authority, and other interested
parties, such as the police, will do to achieve a reduction in
car dependency on the school run. It may make sense for groups
of schools to work together on travel plans, for example, where
they are co-located or where they face similar issues.
We believe that schools are best placed to engage
pupils, parents and their local communities in an evaluation of
what measures can be taken to encourage more walking, cycling,
and bus use on the journey to and from school. However, we also
recognise that schools need support. That is why we have put in
place a strengthened network of school travel advisers to provide
professional advice and support for schools in preparing and implementing
travel plans.
We also recognise the need to incentivise the
process of school travel planning, and have put in place an additional
capital grant for schools to spend on measures identified in their
travel plans. These grants are paid to schools at the start of
the financial year following "sign off" of their plan.
The schools do not have to bid for this funding—and there
is no question of a bidding and approval process for each bike
shed. The capital grant is calculated using a pre-determined formula
and paid to each school automatically on sign off of the plan
by the local authority, to be spent according to their own individual
priorities. The grant can be used on any measures within the school
grounds for a period of up to three years following payment of
the grant.
2 June 2004
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