There has been a decline in children riding bikes and walking to school over the last decade. The School Active Transport Infrastructure Pilot (SATIP) will develop an innovative approach to identifying potential delivery of safe and connected bike riding and walking infrastructure around Queensland schools.

The SATIP will be delivered at Caloundra State School and Caloundra State High School. The pilot is led by the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) in collaboration with the Department of Education and Sunshine Coast Council. It will develop and test an approach for rapidly planning safe and fit-for-purpose bike riding and walking infrastructure and behaviour change initiatives, to help more Queensland children ride bikes and walk to school.

The pilot—set to be completed by early 2026—will involve a planning study that will investigate staff, parent and student behaviours and attitudes about bike riding and walking to school, and assess the physical environment within a 2-kilometre radius of the boundary of the school. The study will identify potential short, medium, and long-term infrastructure and behaviour change initiatives to address key challenges and opportunities for encouraging more people to ride and walk to school.

The pilot will result in an implementation plan setting out how the identified infrastructure and behaviour change initiatives could be rolled out in the future. TMR has allocated up to $3 million to support the delivery of high priority infrastructure improvements and behaviour change initiatives identified through the pilot.

Although TMR is in the early stages of planning, you have an opportunity to be engaged in the pilot as it progresses by registering your details to stay up to date. Your knowledge and experiences will help TMR understand the issues and identify appropriate solutions that will enable and encourage more families to walk and ride to school.

Consultation is scheduled to commence in the school Term 2 (April 2025).