Encouraging walking and bike riding to and from school

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What we've learned

Transport for NSW heard from parents and carers in NSW how we can encourage them to walk or ride to and from school more often.

To better understand community attitudes towards walking and riding to and from school, we:

consulted with stakeholders and industry experts, including local government and First Nations representatives
held Aboriginal engagement workshops in Bourke, Tamworth and Redfern to listen to First Nations people
held focus groups with NSW parents and carers, in collaboration with the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of NSW
conducted a 'Have Your Say' survey, which received more than 3000 responses
conducted quantitative market research with over 1000 parents and carers across NSW.

The results of this research are being used to inform the way we design and deliver educational programs and initiatives to encourage NSW parents, carers and school kids to walk and ride to and from school.

According to parents and carers

said in an ideal world they would walk to/from school.

said in an ideal world they would ride to/from school.

68%

would like to walk with their child/children more often

80%

agree that walking to school allows for opportunity to slow down and connect with their kids.

45%

would like to ride a bike with their child/children to and from school more often.

Barriers to walking or riding

37^%

Bike riding courses

said they would walk and ride to school more if we provided bike riding courses for students at school.

42^%

Better footpaths

said they would walk and ride to school more if we provided more and better footpaths.

35^%

Pedestrian crossings

said they would walk and ride to school more if there were additional pedestrian crossings.

Find out more

You can read more about the responses to our study in the Get Kids Active Program Insights Report.

Download the 2024 report (PDF 2.77MB)

Active Routes to School

Active Routes to School (ARTS) is an educational and behaviour change initiative that encourages primary school students and their families to walk or ride to school.

Transport for NSW partners with the Department of Education and selected NSW councils to provide fully funded, in-classroom lessons for Year 5 students. These lessons empower students to design their own active routes to school.

Read the program brochure. (PDF 239.67KB)

Why ARTS matters

NSW children average only 18 minutes a day walking or riding — well below the recommended level*.
Fewer than 1 in 4 students currently walk or ride to and from school*.
Schools face traffic congestion and safety issues.
ARTS provides a practical, curriculum-integrated solution.

As children prepare to enter high school, they are more likely to travel longer distances, use a mix of transport options, and do so with greater independence. To support this transition, the Active Routes to School initiative engages Year 5 and 6 students to help build their confidence and awareness in safely navigating streets and neighbourhoods.

*Statistics taken from the Active Transport Strategy.

Program benefits

increases children’s physical activity through walking and riding

improves safety around schools

reduces car dependence

identifies safe walking and riding routes

equips children with skills to navigate their neighbourhood and assists in the transition to new high school travel patterns.

Educational benefits

Year 5 students participate in three one-hour lessons delivered by the NSW Department of Education which:

align with the NSW curriculum (Geography, Mathematics, PDHPE)

include connection with Country and road safety awareness

encourage critical thinking, mapping, and spatial awareness

teach students to identify and map real-world travel routes, later transformed into GIS maps by council officers to share with the school community

enable real neighbourhood change through council delivery of line marking and wayfinding on the routes proposed by the students.

How to apply

NSW councils can apply for the Active Routes to School grant via the Get NSW Active FY2026/27 listing on the NSW Government Grants and Funding website.

Council application requirements:

Nominate a council officer that will work with Transport and their nominated school to ensure the success of this initiative.
Include a letter of support from the relevant local primary school to be involved in the initiative.
Articulate the demand and/or interest in walking and riding within the school catchment.
Confirm that the existing footpath network surrounding the school is suitable for developing a series of walking and riding routes for students.

Grant details

up to $50,000 per application

funding covers: GIS mapping, and on-street wayfinding

classroom lesson costs are separate to the grant and covered through Transport’s partnership with the Department of Education.

Council deliverables

partner with local primary schools, Environmental Education Centres, and GIS staff to support lesson development and mapping

conduct road safety checks on preferred routes

endorse the walking/riding routes

produce and distribute Active Routes to School maps

install on-street wayfinding (where applicable) to support safe and visible travel routes for students.

Funding recipients

Read the FY24/25 Active Routes to Schools initiative grant recipients.

Read about the FY25/26 Active Routes to School initiative grant recipients.

For schools

How to participate

Schools can reach out to their local council to discuss the program and the school’s suitability. Schools can support their local council’s application with a letter of support.

Support the program

School staff, P&C groups, and the broader community are encouraged to:

Engage with local councils
Advocate for ARTS participation
Promote walking and riding within their school community.

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for ARTS?

NSW councils, in collaboration with local primary schools.

How many schools will benefit?

Up to 10 schools in the FY2026/27 funding round.

When do applications open for the Active Routes to School program?

Transport for NSW will update the Get Kids Active webpage with new information, including about the Active Routes to School grant as it becomes available.

Is this initiative related to the the Resilient Willoughby Schools Active Travel Project?

The Active Routes to School initiative is based on the Resilient Willoughby Schools Active Travel Project developed by Willoughby City Council. Watch the video to see how students and the wider community benefited from and responded to the initiative.

Ready to apply?

For more information about when applications are open, visit Get NSW Active. For support or enquiries, contact us on activetransport@transport.nsw.gov.au

Free school holiday bike skills courses

Transport for NSW has partnered with the NSW Department of Education and School Infrastructure NSW to deliver free bike skills courses at selected NSW public primary schools during the school holidays,

These courses are open to all primary school-aged children, regardless of which school they attend. This course is the perfect way to introduce your child to the joy of bike riding in a safe and fun environment. Developed specially for primary school aged children to learn bike riding skills and road safety awareness. Course locations have been selected through the Share Our Space program.

To register, visit the AusBike School Holiday Program website.

The Walk and Ride Activity Booklet and other resources

These resources are available to help you encourage your kids to ride or walk to and from school, how to plan your journey, and how to stay safe.

The Walk and Ride Activity Booklet can help parents, carers and children discover the joys of walking and riding to and from school. Complete adventures, set goals and learn about safety together.

Download the Walk and Ride Activity Booklet (PDF 663.07KB)

Encouraging walking and riding to and from school