Case Study: Geel, Belgium

Education and Awareness Raising in Schools - Geel, Belgium

A campaign was set up, targeted at 6 to 12 year old pupils of primary schools. The campaign slogan was 'Give us some space' and addressed the issue of young vulnerable road users asking for some space to travel and learn by experiencing daily traffic. The initiative consisted of five main actions:

1. pre-campaigning: information meetings, support, consultation,
2. awareness raising: campaign stimulating the use of bicycle routes and promoting cycling to school: action week with many events,
3. education: including themes of mobility plan in mobility education, encourage safe and sustainable transport behaviour with pupils, teachers and parents,
4. transport organisation: development of school travel plan, traffic education routes, bicycle pooling, walking buses
5. infrastructure measures.

A number of tools were developed for the campaign:

• popular version of the mobility plan in PowerPoint, made available for open forums,
• commitment declaration to be signed by participating schools,
• free package of educational materials to work with in the schools (campaign incentive),
• demonstration day 'teach the teacher', to work with new educational goals,
• leaflet to stimulate cycling on safe routes,
• development of 7 green school travel plans as part of the educational curriculum,
• elaboration of a traffic education route,
• 'project week' with a car free school day, traffic event with free gadgets, stage performance, education and awareness raising actions in schools.