Walking to school

Image credit: State of Queensland

Action 1.2, Action Plan for Walking 2019–2021

Status: Complete

In late 2019, the Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning (DSDILGP) reviewed the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation process to identify options for encouraging the use of the Walkability Improvement Tool to improve walkability around state schools.  

Achievements

Encouraging more school users to walk to school will reduce car trips for school drop-off/pick-up and school related congestion.
DSDILGP reviewed the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation process for new state school planning to identify options for improving walkability. 

The Planning Minister is responsible for making an infrastructure designation, which provides an alternative process to lodging a development application with local government. A Ministerial Infrastructure Designation allows for the delivery of essential community infrastructure such as a new school. 

The aim of the review was to encourage the use of the Walkability Improvement Tool to identify opportunities to improve walkability. 

Through its review, DSDILGP worked with the Department of Education to encourage the use of the Walkability Improvement Tool (see Action Summary 1.4 and Action Summary 1.5) in the planning and design stage of new state schools. In response, the Department of Education has agreed to undertake an assessment of a new school planned for Brisbane against the tool to identify and prioritise improvements to walkability in the surrounding neighbourhood. 

Next steps

DSDILGP will continue to work with the Department of Education to encourage the use of Walkability Improvement Tool in the planning and design of new state schools. 

More information

Further information on walkable neighbourhoods is available on Department of State Development, Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning website. 

Find out more about the Inner City West School on the Department of Education project page.