Project: Darnhill Safe Route to School
Location: Heywood, Lancashire
Value: £90k

The principles of safety, health and the environment combine to make a safer route to school that can promote these three issues.

Safety: defining a route by means of ‘Way-markers’ which is overlooked by residents, kept separate from traffic and is well lit.

Health: Encouraging children to walk to school, for exercise and fresh air.

Environment: Reducing the dependence on cars for delivering children safely to school, and using renewable energy to light the route, thereby reducing CO2 emissions.

The Route: The route illustrated closely follows the road until it reaches the Recreation Ground. From E to G, we have brought the route within the Recreation Ground in order to keep children off the narrow stretch of path next to the road. This path then proceeds to a new entrance to the school. H – K allows those people coming from north of the school to link up with the new entrance way. The route within the Recreation Ground will receive additional lighting powered by renewable energy under the proposals.

Way-markers: Pre-cast concrete waymarkers with integral vandal resistant solar powered ground lights mark the route. These units combine the schools name, raising the profile of the route and the school. The footpath around the way-markers is to be upgraded to provide a secure footing for the unit.

Street-lighting: Solar and wind powered street lighting cover those areas not served by existing street lighting during school entry and home times. The units do not require any mains power and are vandal resistant. They allow the children to monitor their renewable energy output as part of their curriculum activities.