Pedibus

Good Practice

Sustainability

Walking and cycling roads for students and their families to go to school, and roll-out of a “pedibus”.

Bolzano City Council

Italy

Local policy

POLICY OBJECTIVE

Educate children to avoid car use and consequently reduce CO2 emissions and traffic by walking or cycling to school if nearby or using public transport.

The Municipality of Bolzano aims to help young generations to become independent when going from home to school and vice versa, sparing parents the burden of using private vehicles to drop children off at school.

CONTEXT

Children are the adults of the future, and it is important to teach them to move around the city responsibly. Bolzano is a small city, and it is easy to get around on foot.

As part of a project to promote alternatives to cars, younger students are accompanied from home to school and back.

POLICY DESCRIPTION

The Municipality of Bolzano organises home-to-school routes supervised by “nonni vigili”, retired people typically hired by the municipality to monitor traffic at pedestrian crossings during school entrance and exit times.

In this way, children form groups and help each other to go safely to school and back home. The pilot project started in 2015. After a trial in which the project was positively reviewed by families and children, the project has been expanded to several Bolzano schools.

KEY ASPECTS

In Bolzano, walking is recommended for short trips, considering important services like primary and middle schools and libraries can easily be reached on foot in 10-15 minutes. Through discussion groups and suggestions, families, schools, and the municipal police force helped shape the action plan.

RESULTS

In 2021, twelve elementary schools took part in the “Pedibus” project, in which every day, 297 children joined their group to go to school and back home. Groups of 20-30 students on average made trips of roughly 15-20 minutes. For children deciding to go on their own, “nonni vigili” are nonetheless available at every crosspath to help them cross the road safely. By our estimates, 7.600 children (95% of primary and middle school students) enjoy this service every day.

Policy's Website

Sylvia

Profanter

Director of the Office for Statistics and Time of the City

tempi.citta@comune.bolzano.it

Good Practice

Pedibus

Bolzano City Council

POLICY OBJECTIVE

CONTEXT

POLICY DESCRIPTION

KEY ASPECTS

RESULTS

Policy's Website

Sylvia

Profanter

Director of the Office for Statistics and Time of the City

Sign up to TUI's newsletter!