“Better to school”
City: Darmstadt
Audience: Small City
Topic: Mobility Management
Step in the SUMP cycle: Step 11: Monitor, adapt and communicate
More Information:
Better to School
Activity description
“Better to school” is the umbrella brand for all Hessian activities focusing mobility at schools as a target group. It bundles several offers for schools, municipalities and politicians. Heart piece is the Competence Centre of School Mobility operated by the ivm GmbH, which offers consulting services to support municipalities, schools and public authorities to improve their mobility situation. The aim is to influence the mobility of children and young people in a positive way. The entire process is embedded in a diverse offer of coordinated modules. The Competence Centre offers more than just advisory services. Among other things, the school cycling competition and the school cycle route planner are integrated into the overall process. The program in general helps implementing and establishing measures which improve the mobility situation for schools and pupils. Furthermore, school mobility plans should be developed and implemented. The school mobility plans are comprehensive mobility concepts for school sites and municipalities. They are dealing with all activities, responsibilities and processes related to traffic, mobility and their improvement.
Lessons learned
There are several examples of success. Right now, eighteen municipalities (by German law villages, cities and counties all are municipalities) are attending in multiple way the “better to school” program. Furthermore, more than fifty schools have been counselled and qualified on their mobility situation. In addition to the necessary prerequisites for successful implementation, one challenge is the dissemination of the offer in the area. For a comprehensive picture, which also achieves the necessary political scope, it is important that the offer and mobility plans are not limited to one location.