Healthier transport options, how far can we move forward?

Parking outside school gates....is there a better, healthier option?

Can we design a healthy lifestyle into the planning of transport options?

This was the question with which the Health and Adult Care Policy Development Panel at the County Council grappled yesterday.  We were discussing a number of ideas that are included in this year's Annual Public Health Report for Suffolk 'Moving Forward', an independent document written by Tessa Lindfield, our Director of Public Health.

As a council we now have a legal obligation to consider the health and wellbeing implications of all policy decisions.  By extension, as policy makers, we could in fact go much further and make a really positive effort, not simply to 'nudge' people to live healthier lives, but to make it impossible for them to avoid taking some exercise.   Moving towards the latter approach would have the benefit of keeping people out of doctors' surgeries and postponing, perhaps indefinitely, the time that they need to be supported by the care system.  So people would not just be healthier, the groaning public purse could be relieved somewhat too.

Options and ideas included in the report range from the simple expedient of improving cycle routes and footpaths, and encouraging people will use them, to actually deliberately siting parking areas some distance from workplaces so that people have no option but to walk ten minutes or so every day.  Similarly, safe driving could continue to be largely encouraged by exhortation and relying on the common sense of the driver, or 20 mph limits could be imposed and rigorously enforced across the board in all built up areas.

People vary widely in their reaction to the more suggestions that are more radical,  and feelings can run high.  This was demonstrated recently in a Sunday Times article about the strict enforcement of parking restrictions outside schools.   I know from bitter experience in both my Ward and Division that parent behaviour outside school gates is a matter of heated, and sometimes more than heated, debate.

The comments that accompanied the article certainly reflected this, with one person suggesting that the Swiss system be adopted in the UK.  The rule in Switzerland is that parents have to get the written permission of the headmistress if they wish to drive their childrent to the school gate, the preferred method of getting to school being the healthier option of walking, or the greener option of using public transport. Other responders to the article argued strongly that petty rules of this sort should not be imposed by schools, or indeed 'bossy and intrusive' local authorities.

It will be interesting to see how far Panel Members feel that we should go.

To access the 2013 Public Health Report online follow this link.