active school travel

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Active School Travel

About active school travel.

Our Active School Travel (AST) program is a free program for Gold Coast primary schools. Schools that join the program receive a suite of resources including free toolkits, incentives and support to enable students, parents, carers and teachers to:

• re-mode by swapping the car for walking, wheeling and public transport
• reduce car trips by carpooling or combining trips
• re-route to take a slightly different route to avoid congested roads
• re-time school-related trips, consider dropping children earlier or picking them up later.

Active travel is the best way to get to and from school on the Gold Coast. When school communities actively travel, children feel empowered, there is less traffic on our roads and less pollution in our environment.

The Active School Travel team are currently recruiting new Primary schools and High schools to join the program in 2025!

If your school is interested in joining the Active Travel Program, please contact the team at [email protected]

Calling all artists!

Our ART-AST competition is back for 2024!

Enter for your chance to win a $200 Smiggle gift card (terms and conditions apply).

How to enter

Download the template and enter online an A3 landscape artwork celebrating active school travel themes including:

• catching public transport
• road safety.

For your chance to win great prizes and be named as ART-AST of the year!

Download the 2024 ART-AST competition template (PDF, 112KB)

• Junior: Prep and Year 1 students
• Intermediate: Year 2 and Year 3 students
• Senior: Year 4 to Year 6 students

Competition opens:  15 April 2024 Competition closes:  14 June 2024

Download the  2024 ART-AST Competition terms and conditions (PDF, 129KB)

Benefits of active travel

Since our program's inception, thousands of families have been walking and wheeling their way to school, having fun, making friends, and helping the environment.

Our active travel communities enjoy:

• healthier children
• safer school zones
• increased concentration in students
• making friends (students and parents)
• learning life-long skills
• a connected community
• resources and skills to empower the community
• reduced traffic around school
• helping the environment.

See our Active School Travel program snapshot (PDF, 646KB)

Hear from our junior active travellers about what they enjoy doing when getting to and from school.

Principals, teachers & school staff

The Active School Travel program is an educational program that empowers children and school communities to get moving safely. The program fast tracks skills so that students can safely walk, wheel and BUS IT to school while also learning about the environment, health and wellbeing.

Structured educational programs that expose children to practical traffic situations include:

Riding Rulz bike skills

The Riding Rulz bike skills program for Year 5 and 6 students aims to encourage students to ride to school and to have the skills, confidence and experience to ride safely. The training provides children with invaluable riding skills and lays the foundation for independent travel choices.

Police Citizen Youth Club bike skills

Bike skills training for Year 4 students is held at Ashmore PCYC. Year 4 students benefit from an excursion to learn basic bike skills and important road safety information.

BUS IT Bus skills workshops

The workshops aim to build students' road and bus safety skills, confidence, and proper bus etiquette and include a Surfside bus ride.

Research suggests that children who start their day by walking or riding to school find it easier to concentrate for up to four hours after their journey.

If your school is interested in learning more about the Active School Travel program, please contact the team at  [email protected]

Parents & carers

Actively travelling with your children helps create lifelong memories and time for important conversations. Parents and carers play a critical role in influencing children's positive road behaviour when engaging in active school travel. Even making a change once a week can make a significant difference to school-related congestion.

If your child is enrolled in an Active School Travel school, you may also consider joining the school's Active School Travel Committee (ASTC) to help lead and promote the program within the school community. Contact your school to see how you can help.

Nationally, there are a number of events you may wish to participate in too,  Day for Daniel ,  National Ride2School Day  and  National Walk Safely to School Day .

Registered AST Schools

Registered Active School Travel schools follow a structured program facilitated by the City of Gold Coast. If your school is interested in learning more about the Active School Travel program, please contact the team at [email protected] .

Access to registered AST school content is via the AST Online resources Hub, contact your AST Engagement Officer for assistance.

AST Remote Learning

To help children who are required to learn remotely, please download:

Active School Travel – Remote Learning booklet (PDF, 1MB)

AST Fundamentals Program

For schools who are not yet registered with the Active School travel Program but would like to start learning more about active school travel, please find some educational resources below:

AST fact sheets

• AST Modes of transport (PDF, 514KB)
• Walking to and from school (PDF, 595KB)
• Wheeling to and from school (PDF, 518KB)
• Carpooling to and from school (PDF, 519KB)
• Public transport to and from school (PDF, 659KB)
• Collecting active travel data (PDF, 595KB)
• Why events, rewards and recognition counts (PDF, 204KB)

Road safety fact sheets

Our new road safety fact sheet brochures offer advice for families to support their children in learning and practicing road safety, and basic principles children can follow when actively travelling around roads.

• School zone road safety fact sheet – for motorists (PDF, 477KB)
• School zone road safety fact sheet – for active travellers (PDF, 627KB)
• School zone road safety fact sheet – for families (PDF, 306KB)

AST case studies

• Caningeraba State School (PDF, 507KB)
• Helensvale State School (PDF, 580KB)
• Highland Reserve State School (PDF, 591KB)
• Hine Luis (PDF, 455KB)
• Upper Coomera State College (PDF, 413KB)

Active travel stories

Professional Gold Coast artist Amelia Batchelor created legacy murals for Arundel State School, Jubilee Primary School, Mudgeeraba State School and Coomera State School to celebrate their second year of participation in the City of Gold Coast Active School Travel Program.

Amelia worked in consultation with each school to design and install a mural that not only encourages children to travel actively and safely to and from school but also reflects their school surroundings, and school values.

VCAST video competition

Learn about Active School Travel from the schools that have benefited.

Watch our 2023 video entries:

• Arundel State School Active School Travel
• Coomera State School Active School Travel

Road safety for Active School Travel

Road safety around schools is everyone’s responsibility. Understanding and following road safety rules in and around school zones helps to keep our school communities safe.

Traffic and parking rules in school zones help to optimise traffic movement and make school zones safer places for children.

The City of Gold Coast is responsible for enforcing parking rules, and offers community education programs to support safe active travel, including road safety skill programs for primary school age students.

Download our School zone road rules brochure (PDF, 477KB)

Road safety awareness builds important life skills essential to everyone. To protect them for life, children should begin road safety education from an early age and continue to be reinforced through to young adulthood and beyond.

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN & THINK

A helpful strategy that supports children to cross the road safely.

• STOP one step back from the footpath or shoulder of the road if there is no footpath
• LOOK in all directions for approaching traffic
• LISTEN in all directions for approaching traffic
• THINK about whether it is safe to cross the road – when the road is clear, or all traffic has stopped. When crossing, walk straight across the road. Keep LOOKING and LISTENING for traffic while crossing.

Our active travel schools

We have so many schools that we have worked with to make Active School Travel a success, we want to give a shout out to these schools!

View schools

• Coombabah State School
• Currumbin State School
• Kings Christian College Pimpama
• Springbrook State School
• Picnic Creek State School
• St Brigid's Primary School
• Ashmore State School
• Coomera Springs State School
• Gainsborough State School
• Gilston State School
• Highland Reserve State School
• Pimpama State School
• Tallebudgera State School
• Nerang State School
• Norfolk Village State School
• St Joseph’s College
• William Duncan State School
• Worongary State School
• Arundel State School
• Coomera State School
• Foxwell State Secondary College
• Jubilee Primary School
• Mudgeeraba State School
• Southport State High School
• Caningeraba State School
• Clover Hill State School
• Mudgeeraba Creek State School
• St Andrews Lutheran College
• Upper Coomera State College
• Emmanuel College
• Surfers Paradise State School
• Coomera Rivers State School
• Elanora State School
• Helensvale State School
• Merrimac State School
• Oxenford State School
• Robina State School
• St Brigid's Catholic Primary
• St Francis Xavier Catholic Primary
• Varsity College Primary Campus
• Miami State School
• Guardian Angels Primary School
• Southport State School
• Labrador State School
• Park Lake State School

If you are interested in learning more about the Active School Travel program, please contact the team:

Phone: 07 5581 6767 Email: [email protected]

• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 01 February 2018

Effectiveness of active school transport interventions: a systematic review and update

• Richard Larouche 1 , 2 ,
• George Mammen 3 ,
• David A. Rowe 4 &
• Guy Faulkner   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8898-2536 5 , 6  

BMC Public Health volume  18 , Article number:  206 ( 2018 ) Cite this article

12k Accesses

123 Citations

37 Altmetric

Metrics details

Active school transport (AST) is a promising strategy to increase children’s physical activity. A systematic review published in 2011 found large heterogeneity in the effectiveness of interventions in increasing AST and highlighted several limitations of previous research. We provide a comprehensive update of that review.

Replicating the search of the previous review, we screened the PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Sport Discus and National Transportation Library databases for articles published between February 1, 2010 and October 15, 2016. To be eligible, studies had to focus on school-aged children and adolescents, include an intervention related to school travel, and report a measure of travel behaviors. We assessed quality of individual studies with the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool, and overall quality of evidence with the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. We calculated Cohen’s d as a measure of effect size.

Out of 6318 potentially relevant articles, 27 articles reporting 30 interventions met our inclusion criteria. Thirteen interventions resulted in an increase in AST, 8 found no changes, 4 reported inconsistent results, and 5 did not report inferential statistics. Cohen’s d ranged from −0.61 to 0.75, with most studies reporting “trivial-to-small” positive effect sizes. Three studies reported greater increases in AST over longer follow-up periods and two Safe Routes to School studies noted that multi-level interventions were more effective. Study quality was rated as weak for 27/30 interventions (due notably to lack of blinding of outcome assessors, unknown psychometric properties of measurement tools, and limited control for confounders), and overall quality of evidence was rated as low. Evaluations of implementation suggested that interventions were limited by insufficient follow-up duration, incomplete implementation of planned interventions, and limited access to resources for low-income communities.

Conclusions

Interventions may increase AST among children; however, there was substantial heterogeneity across studies and quality of evidence remains low. Future studies should include longer follow-ups, use standardized outcome measures (to allow for meta-analyses), and examine potential moderators and mediators of travel behavior change to help refine current interventions.

Trial registration

Registered in PROSPERO: CRD42016033252

Peer Review reports

Consistent evidence shows that children and adolescents who engage in active school transport (AST) are more physically active than those who travel by motorized vehicles [ 1 , 2 ]. Cycling to and from school can also increase cardiovascular fitness [ 1 ] and is associated with a better cardiometabolic health profile [ 3 ]. At the population level, replacing motorized travel by AST could reduce exhaust and greenhouse gas emissions [ 4 , 5 ]. Additional benefits of AST include positive emotions during the school trip [ 6 ], better way-finding skills [ 7 ] and superior school grades [ 8 ].

Despite these benefits, the prevalence of AST has decreased markedly during the last few decades in many countries [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. To address this issue, many interventions have been implemented. Perhaps the most well-known is the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program which has received over one billion dollars in funding from the US government [ 14 ]. Recent analyses concluded that New York City’s SRTS program led to a 33-44% reduction in injuries among school-aged children and the program was cost-effective even when disregarding any potential benefits related to increased physical activity and decreased congestion and pollution [ 15 , 16 ]. In other jurisdictions, school travel plans (STP) have been implemented to address key barriers to AST at the local level, but often with limited funding [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ]. Moreover, walking school buses (WSB) wherein children walk together on a set route with adult supervision have been implemented in many jurisdictions to address parental safety concerns [ 22 , 23 ].

To our knowledge, Chillón and colleagues [ 24 ] published the first systematic review of the effectiveness of AST intervention among children and adolescents in 2011. While the included interventions were quite heterogeneous, most observed small increases in AST. However, quality of evidence for all interventions were rated as “weak” based on the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) quality assessment tool for quantitative studies [ 25 ]. Moreover, none of the interventions examined the moderators and mediators of travel behavior change. A better understanding of moderators and mediators would enable researchers to understand what works for whom and why. We provide a comprehensive update on the effectiveness of AST interventions in children and youth that have been published over the last 6 years. We also aimed to review the literature on the moderators and mediators of AST interventions.

Search strategy

As our goal was to update the previous review [ 24 ], we replicated their search strategy. Databases searched included PubMed, Web of Science (SCI and SSCI), SPORTDiscus, the Cochrane library, and the National Transportation Library. The search terms addressed four main categories: school-age children (adolescen* OR child OR children OR youth OR student* OR pupil OR pupils) AND active transportation (bike OR bikers OR biking OR bicycl* OR cycle OR cycling OR cyclist* OR commute* OR commuting OR transportation OR travel*) AND intervention (intervention* OR implement* OR evaluat* OR change OR pilot OR project OR environment* OR engineer* OR encourage* OR planning OR impact OR “walk to school” OR “safe routes to school” OR “walking schoolbus” OR “walking school bus” OR “walking school buses”) AND school . Articles published between February 1, 2010 (the cut-off date of the previous review) and October 15, 2016 were considered eligible. Our review is registered in PROSPERO (CRD42016033252; see http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42016033252 ).

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

To be included in the review, studies had to: 1) have been conducted among children and adolescents (6-18 year olds); 2) focus on AST; 3) include an intervention; and 4) examine the effect of the intervention on a measure of active transportation or physical activity. Studies that did not meet all of these criteria were excluded. Language was not an exclusion criterion. Titles and abstract of all potentially relevant articles were screened by GM and GF. Full text copies of all articles that were not excluded at this stage of the review were then screened by GM and GF. Any discrepancy was resolved by consensus.

Data extraction

The following data were extracted from each included study: lead author, country, a brief description of the intervention and its methodology, the effects on AST, the moderators and mediators examined, the effects on other outcomes and the types of strategies that were used based on the Safe Routes to School 6E model [ 14 ]. The 6 E’s are: 1) education (teaching students and community members about the different transportation options and ensuring they have the skills and know-how to be safe in traffic); 2) encouragement (using events, activities and incentives to promote AST); 3) engineering (making improvements to the built environment to increase safety); 4) enforcement (partnering with law enforcement to address traffic and crime concerns in the neighborhoods around schools and along school routes); 5) evaluation (assessing the effectiveness of the interventions); and 6) equity (ensuring that initiatives are benefiting all demographic groups). By definition, all studies that met our inclusion criteria have used evaluations, so this strategy was not extracted. Data extraction was done by RL and GM for a subsample of studies, and only by RL for the remainder. When relevant information was missing from included papers, we attempted to contact the lead author and/or the senior author.

Quality assessment

To assess the methodological quality of each study, we used an adapted version of the EPHPP. This tool includes 6 components: 1) selection bias; 2) study design; 3) control for confounders; 4) blinding of participants and study staff; 5) validity and reliability of the data collection tools; and 6) withdrawals and drop-outs. Each component was rated as “weak”, “moderate” or “strong” based on standardized criteria, and then the number of weak ratings was tallied. Following the EPHPP approach, studies with zero weak ratings were rated as strong, studies with one weak rating were rated as moderate, and studies with at least two weak ratings were rated as weak. We retained the modifications proposed by Chillón and colleagues [ 24 ] to make the tool more suitable to studies in which the school is the unit of allocation. We also added a number of precisions to clarify the interpretation of the items. Our adapted EPHPP tool is available in Additional file 1 . Quality assessment was first performed by RL and DR for a subsample of five studies. After consensus was attained for these studies, the remaining articles were assessed either by RL or DR. In case of doubt, the reviewer was asked to indicate the issue in an Excel spreadsheet and all issues were resolved by consensus among the two reviewers. Because blinding of participants was considered unfeasible in the context of most AST interventions, we present results both with and without the blinding component of the EPHPP. In addition, we assessed overall quality of evidence using the “Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation” (GRADE) approach [ 26 , 27 ]. Following this approach, randomized controlled trials begin as high quality evidence, but they may be downgraded based on limitations in the design and implementation, indirectness of evidence, unexplained heterogeneity of results, imprecision of estimates, and high probability of publication bias. Observational studies begin as low quality evidence, but may be upgraded if there are large effect sizes, a dose-response gradient, or if all plausible confounding would reduce the treatment effect [ 26 , 27 ]. The overall quality of evidence was rated by consensus among the authors.

Statistical analyses

Following the procedures of Chillón and colleagues [ 24 ], we computed Cohen’s d as a measure of effect size for each intervention. For interventions that included a control group, effect size was computed as the standardized mean difference of the changes in AST between the experimental and control groups. For those that included only an experimental group, it was computed between baseline and follow-up data. Additional file 2 provides comprehensive details on how effect sizes were computed for each intervention. Authors were contacted to obtain information required to calculate d . Following Cohen’s [ 28 ] guidelines, effect size was categorized as trivial ( d  < 0.2), small ( d  = 0.2), medium ( d  = 0.5), or large ( d  = 0.8). Due to the large methodological heterogeneity of the included studies (see Table  1 ), meta-analysis was considered inappropriate.

The flow of papers in the review process is depicted in Fig.  1 . Overall, 6318 papers were identified by the search including 2339 in PubMed, 1555 in Web of Science, 377 in Cochrane, 882 in SPORTDiscus, and 1165 in the National Transportation Library. One paper was identified from the authors’ personal libraries. All abstracts were screened, and 54 papers were found to be potentially eligible for inclusion. After a thorough selection process, 27 papers were excluded due to the following exclusion criteria: no/ineligible intervention, n  = 17; no measure of physical activity or AST, n  = 8; review article, n  = 2. A total of 27 papers, reporting on 30 different interventions, were included for analyses [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. Results are presented at the intervention level because three papers reported the findings of two different interventions. Specifically, Buckley et al. [ 29 ] included a fall event without control group and a spring event with control group, Crawford and Garrard [ 34 ] included a pilot study with control schools (pilot schools) and a main study without control group (program schools), and Johnson et al. [ 41 ] reported case-control analyses using data from two different surveys conducted in distinct populations (Bikeability and CensusAtSchool). Eleven interventions were conducted in the US, five in the UK, three in Canada, two in Australia, Belgium, Denmark and New Zealand, and one in Spain and China. Another intervention was conducted simultaneously in Canada and the UK.

Flow of articles in the review process

Characteristics of interventions

Of these interventions, six evaluated Safe Routes to School (SRTS) interventions [ 38 , 39 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 48 ], seven evaluated school travel plan (STP) projects [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 30 , 34 ], and two examined stand-alone walking school buses (WSB) schemes [ 45 , 47 ]. Four interventions focused on the effects of bicycle training programs [ 35 , 36 , 41 ], five examined the effects of stand-alone events or contests [ 29 , 31 , 33 , 40 ], and two were multi-component interventions that examined, among other things, changes in AST following the intervention [ 32 , 51 ]. Others included two studies examining the effect of curriculum-based programs on AST [ 44 , 50 ], one intervention using a drop-off spot from which driven children could walk to school with adult supervision [ 49 ], and an investigation of the effect of deploying crossing guards on travel behaviors [ 37 ]. Included studies assessed AST in a variety of ways including classroom hand-up surveys [ 17 , 18 , 20 , 34 , 42 , 43 , 48 ], child surveys and diaries [ 32 , 33 , 41 , 45 , 46 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], parent surveys [ 19 , 30 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 38 ], direct observation [ 29 , 31 , 32 , 37 , 48 ], using a swipe card technology [ 40 ] or by recording accelerometer steps taken during the school journey [ 44 ]. One study compared accelerometry-measured PA among participants in a WSB and non-participants [ 47 ]. Moreover, there was substantial heterogeneity in how AST was operationalized (e.g., travel mode on the day of the survey, usual travel mode, frequency of AST, etc.) and whether different active modes were assessed separately or pooled together (Table 1 ).

The majority of interventions focused on the elementary school setting. Only three studies included some secondary school students [ 40 , 41 , 43 ].The target sample size of included interventions ranged from 80 to 65,289 students. Schools were randomized to an intervention or a control group in four interventions [ 32 , 35 , 45 , 51 ]. Of the remaining interventions, 11 used a pre-post design without a control group [ 17 , 18 , 20 , 29 , 30 , 34 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 48 , 49 ], 10 were quasi-experimental studies with a control group [ 29 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 37 , 42 , 43 , 44 , 46 , 50 ], four were retrospective case-control studies [ 36 , 41 , 47 ], and one was a retrospective study [ 19 ]. A detailed description of the interventions and their main results is provided in Table 1 .

Quality ratings are shown in Table  2 . For individual components of the EPHPP, the proportion of weak ratings was 3.3% for study design, 30.0% for withdrawals and dropouts, 56.7% for selection bias, 60.0% for control for confounders, 66.7% for data collection methods, and 100% for blinding. Following Chillón and colleagues’ [ 24 ] modifications of the EPHPP, four studies were rated “non-applicable” for withdrawals and dropouts because participants were recruited after the intervention occurred and could not have dropped out. No study reported that outcome assessors or participants were blinded, and only two studies discussed blinding and specified that it was not feasible in their intervention [ 35 , 45 ]. In analyses that included the blinding component of the EPHPP tool, only three studies were rated as “moderate” [ 32 , 39 , 45 ], and the remainder were rated as “weak”. In a sensitivity analysis that excluded the blinding component, study quality was rated as weak for 21 interventions [ 19 , 20 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 33 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ], moderate for six interventions [ 17 , 18 , 35 , 37 , 44 , 47 ], and strong for three interventions [ 32 , 39 , 45 ]. While our review included some randomized controlled trials, most individual studies were rated as “weak” and very serious limitations in the design and implementation of interventions were noted, as mentioned above. Therefore, we attributed a low grade for the overall quality of evidence.

Intervention effectiveness

Overall, 13 interventions resulted in a statistically significant increase in AST [ 18 , 29 , 31 , 38 , 41 , 42 , 45 , 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 ] while eight reported no changes in AST [ 20 , 32 , 33 , 35 , 37 , 43 , 46 , 47 ]. Of the latter studies, McMinn et al. [ 43 ] reported a smaller seasonal decline in PA among children in their intervention group, and this can be viewed as a positive finding given that PA typically declines during the fall and winter. Five interventions did not include an hypothesis test for changes in AST [ 17 , 19 , 29 , 30 , 40 ]. The remaining studies reported inconsistent or conflicting results. Specifically, in their pilot study, Crawford & Garrard [ 34 ] reported a significant increase in AST in their inner suburban school, but no change in their outer suburban school relative to the control group. In their “program” phase, they reported a significant increase in AST in experimental schools based on parent surveys after adjusting for confounders, but their child surveys indicated no change in AST after statistical adjustment. Goodman and colleagues [ 36 ] reported that children attending a school that had offered the Bikeability program did not cycle more frequently; however, those who actually took part in Bikeability did cycle more frequently, suggesting that parents/children interested in cycling may have self-selected to participate. Finally, Hoelscher et al. [ 39 ] observed that while intervention schools had higher rates of AST over the 4-year study period, the differences between groups waned over time.

Details on the computation of effect sizes (Cohen’s d ) are provided in Additional file 2 . Cohen’s d varied markedly across interventions with a range of −0.61 to 0.75. Effect size could not be calculated for five interventions, including two that provided only follow-up data [ 19 , 42 ], and three that provided insufficient data to allow for computation of d [ 29 , 39 ]. Effect size was rated as trivial for 10 interventions [ 17 , 20 , 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , 37 , 43 , 46 , 47 ], small for eight interventions [ 31 , 33 , 39 , 43 , 48 , 50 , 51 ], and medium for one intervention [ 49 ]. Data from Hinckson et al. [ 18 ] indicate a trivial effect size after 1 year of follow-up, but a medium effect size after 2 or 3 years. Henderson and colleagues’ [ 38 ] SRTS intervention yielded a medium effect size for the morning trip and a trivial effect size for the afternoon trip. Data from Hunter et al. [ 39 ] indicated a medium decrease in AST as estimated with the swipe card methodology, but a small increase for self-reported AST. In Crawford and colleagues’ [ 34 ] pilot program, there was a small effect size for the inner suburban school and a trivial one for the outer suburban school. In the 3-group intervention by Ducheyne et al. [ 35 ], there was a small effect size when comparing the intervention and control groups, but a trivial effect size when comparing the intervention + parent (which targeted parents in addition to children) vs. the control group. Finally, data from McMinn et al. [ 44 ] suggest a small effect size for changes in minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA per day, but a moderate effect size for changes in steps/day although both effect sizes were similar ( d  = 0.46 and 0.52 respectively); however, effect size was trivial for changes in steps and MVPA during the school trip. Table  3 summarizes effect sizes by type of intervention; however, no clear pattern is evident.

Moderators and mediators

Thirteen studies examined potential moderators. Hinckson et al. [ 17 , 18 ] noted that longer follow-up periods, smaller school size, higher school SES, and higher pre-intervention rate of AST predicted higher rates of AST at follow-up. Safe Routes to School interventions using multiple strategies (as defined by the 6P model) achieved larger increases in AST [ 42 , 43 ], and a longer follow-up period was also associated with more substantial increases in AST [ 43 ]. In contrast, a short follow-up period was discussed as a potential reason for the lack of a significant mode shift in other interventions [ 20 , 46 ]. Mammen and colleagues [ 19 ] reported that parents of older students, those living closer to school and attending urban or suburban schools (relative to rural) were more likely to report “driving less” following the implementation of an STP. Of the potential moderators examined by Stewart et al. [ 48 ], only the percentage of students cycling at baseline was negatively associated with changes in cycling. In addition, Mendoza and colleagues’ [ 45 ] results suggest that greater acculturation, more positive parental self-efficacy and outcome expectations may facilitate children’s engagement in AST.

Goodman and colleagues [ 36 ] intended to assess children’s participation in cycle training as a mediator of the relationship between exposure to the Bikeability program at the school level and children’s cycling behavior. However they found a similar frequency of cycling among children exposed and unexposed to the program. No other study described formal mediation analyses.

We have provided a comprehensive update on the effectiveness of AST interventions among children and adolescents. Our search strategy identified 27 papers, describing the findings of 30 distinct interventions, which have been published since the previous review [ 24 ]. Included interventions were quite diverse and changes in travel behaviors varied markedly across interventions. Included studies suggest that interventions with longer follow-up periods may achieve greater modal shifts. These observations are of particular importance for policy-makers and practitioners implementing AST interventions.

Two large SRTS interventions found that interventions including both educational activities and infrastructure changes resulted in greater increases in AST than interventions using only one of these strategies [ 42 , 43 ]. These results are consistent with social-ecological models that posit that behavior is determined by multiple levels of influence including individual, interpersonal, community, policy and built environment factors [ 52 , 53 ].

We noted that few interventions targeted secondary school students. As the correlates of AST may differ by age [ 54 ], one should not assume that interventions that are effective among children will work as well with adolescents. Adolescents generally have higher independent mobility [ 55 ] and, as such, the influence of parental perceptions on their school travel mode may be weaker. However, adolescents may have less favorable attitudes toward AST [ 56 , 57 ], and this might be a key factor to address for interventions in secondary schools.

In the previous systematic review [ 24 ], all studies were rated as “weak” based on the EPHPP tool. In our review, 10% of the studies were rated “moderate” (even with a stricter interpretation of the blinding component of EPHPP) and, when the blinding component was dismissed as unfeasible, 30% of the studies were rated as “moderate” or “strong”. This suggests a marginal improvement in study quality over the last 6 years; however the overall quality of evidence as assessed with the GRADE approach remains low. Our sensitivity analysis shows that the blinding component exerted a floor effect on quality scores. Because all interventions received a “weak” rating for blinding, they could not be rated higher than “moderate”. Future improvement in quality ratings could be made by controlling for confounders and by using valid and reliable measures of AST, which have been reviewed elsewhere [ 58 ].

The calculated effect sizes for most interventions were trivial to small based on Cohen’s [ 28 ] thresholds. Although these widely-used thresholds are arbitrary, we have used them in the absence of alternative options. Given the large reach of interventions such as SRTS and STP, an effect size labeled as “trivial-to-small” may still be highly relevant from a population health perspective. Interestingly, a pooled intervention effect of d  = 0.12 was obtained in a meta-analysis of 30 controlled trials on PA interventions among children and adolescents [ 59 ].

Furthermore, while our review focused specifically on the effect of interventions on travel behaviors, some included interventions have documented positive changes in other important outcomes such as children’s cycling skills [ 35 ], safe street crossing behaviors [ 37 ], attitudes toward AST [ 40 ], and higher daily PA [ 44 , 45 ]. Substantial reductions in road traffic injuries among children have also been noted following implementation of SRTS [ 15 ]. More broadly, it has been proposed that interventions such as SRTS may benefit the larger communities in which they are implemented, and not only children [ 60 ].

Mediators and moderators

A better understanding of the mediators and moderators of AST interventions could help identify what works for whom and why [ 61 , 62 ]. Of particular interest, many studies emphasized the importance of having long term follow-ups given that implementation of complex AST interventions may require a substantial amount of time [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 43 , 46 ]. Similarly, qualitative evaluations focusing on the implementation of AST interventions also identify lack of time as a key challenge [ 63 , 64 ]. To address the issue of follow-up length, some authors suggested that granting agencies should be encouraged to provide more long term funding [ 63 , 64 ].

While there has been increased interest in studying moderators of AST interventions, none of the included studies conducted formal mediation analyses and most interventions did not include an explicit theoretical framework. Given the important role of parents in travel mode decision making [ 65 ], interventions that increase road safety may be more effective if they also target parents’ self-efficacy in allowing their child to engage in AST [ 45 ].

Implementation of interventions

Understanding the implementation of complex AST interventions may provide valuable information for the reader to contextualize the effectiveness of such interventions. This may be particularly important for interventions such as SRTS and STP that are essentially evaluated as “natural experiments” [ 66 ] because in most cases, exposure to the intervention is not under the control of the investigators. This is a threat to internal validity because the fidelity of implementation varies, but at the same time, it represents more closely how an intervention is implemented in the “real world”. Many interventions included in this review reported that implementation varied substantially between schools [ 19 , 20 , 32 , 34 , 46 ], and in some cases, planned changes were not implemented as scheduled [ 32 , 37 , 46 ]. Crawford and Garrard [ 34 ] also reported that the implementation of the Ride2School program was affected by the motivation of school communities. Such challenges and discrepancies may bias our results toward the null hypothesis.

Lack of resources or unequal access to resources has been noted by many authors as a limitation to AST interventions [ 32 , 63 , 64 ]. In Canada, STPs and WSBs are implemented by non-governmental organizations and lack of support from provincial and federal governments has been identified as a major barrier [ 64 ]. In Texas, stakeholders expressed difficulty in navigating the SRTS regulatory process and emphasized that access to SRTS funding was very challenging for low income communities given that no up-front funding was provided [ 63 ]. More generally, WSBs typically rely on volunteers which often makes long term sustainability challenging [ 23 , 67 ]. Providing paid WSB leaders may help overcome this issue.

Strengths and limitations

As in the previous review [ 24 ], we noted that many included studies did not include a control group. Another limitation is that the original EPHPP tool seems better suited to assess studies where the unit of allocation is the individual. To address this issue, we have modified the tool so that the questions are more relevant to school-based interventions (see Additional file 1 ). Nevertheless, like other quality assessment tools, the scoring system of the EPHPP is rigid and may not always distinguish more robust studies from weaker ones [ 68 ]. For example, in our review, no study reported that outcome assessors were blinded, creating a floor effect whereby no intervention can be rated higher than “moderate”. Notwithstanding the importance of blinding in preventing observer bias and Hawthorne effects, a quality assessment tool should be able to discriminate stronger studies from weaker ones. Our sensitivity analysis without the blinding component of the EPHPP intended to address this issue. We acknowledge that the use of a different quality assessment tool could have resulted in different ratings of study quality as observed previously [ 68 ]. Finally, the large heterogeneity in the measurement and operationalization of AST precluded meta-analysis. The development of a standard measurement protocol may help address this issue.

The rigorous systematic review process is an important strength of the study. We followed the same search strategy as Chillón and colleagues [ 24 ] and computed standardized effect sizes which should help readers interpret the effectiveness of interventions and perform sample size calculations. Finally, the discussion of moderators, mediators and factors related to implementation should help researchers refine current interventions.

The present systematic review highlights the diversity of interventions that have been implemented to promote AST in the last few years, and shows that travel behavior change varied markedly between interventions. Many interventions have shown significant increases in AST, but caution is required in interpretation given the low quality of evidence. This underscores a need for interventions using stronger study designs.

Our findings have implications for researchers and practitioners. First, it may take time for interventions to have an effect on children’s travel behaviors. Therefore, follow-ups of at least 2 years should be conducted when possible to minimize the risk of type II error. Second, while many authors indicated that implementation of interventions varied markedly across schools, it is unclear how this variation may influence effectiveness. Hence future research should examine the potential moderating effect of implementation. The fact that some interventions were not implemented as planned suggests that some of the effect sizes reported herein may be conservative. Third, there remains a clear need for investigation of the mediators of travel behavior change.

Only three interventions included some high schools, highlighting a need for more research intervening in secondary school settings. This is important given that the factors associated with AST may differ markedly between children and adolescents. Finally, because some children may live too far from their school, interventions aiming to promote active transportation to/from other destinations such as parks, shops, sport venues, and friends’ and relatives’ houses may also be warranted [ 69 ].

Abbreviations

Active school transport

Effective public health practice project

Grades of recommendation, assessment, development, and evaluation

• Physical activity
• Safe routes to school
• School travel plans

United Kingdom

United States

• Walking school buses

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Acknowledgements

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GF holds a Canadian Institutes of Health Research-Public Health Agency of Canada (CIHR-PHAC) Chair in Applied Public Health. RL was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Funders had no role in the study.

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RL completed quality assessment, data extraction, statistical analyses, and drafted the manuscript. GM conducted the search, screened papers for inclusion, assisted in data extraction and provided feedback on the manuscript. DAR conducted quality assessment, assisted with statistical analyses, and provided feedback on the manuscript. GF screened papers for inclusion and provided feedback on the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Appendix 1. Adjusted criteria for the Effective Public Health Practice Project quality assessment tool for quantitative studies. (DOCX 33 kb)

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Larouche, R., Mammen, G., Rowe, D.A. et al. Effectiveness of active school transport interventions: a systematic review and update. BMC Public Health 18 , 206 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-5005-1

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Included in the guide are lessons learned from hosting these clinics, a comprehensive list of needed supplies, and a detailed plan for skill development stations (which could easily be used for a bike rodeo instead of a full cycling clinic!)

Curricular Connections

Components of Active School Travel address many objectives from Alberta Education's Health & Life Skills, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Education and English Language Arts curricula. Specific curricular connections for Health & Life Skills, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies for Grades K-9 are highlighted in this document. General connections are also identified for Physical Education and English Language Arts.

Policy and Practice Recommendations

This document seeks to inform school boards wishing to promote Active School Travel (AST) among their school communities.

These recommendations are meant to be used within each unique school board’s context, anticipating that each location will adapt these recommendations to fit their own needs. Some recommendations may be easier to implement in certain school districts based on the existing foundations in policy, community support and/or committee organization. Other recommendations may be longer term goals to work toward.

Let’s get more kids walking and wheeling to school.

Join the movement to improve children’s mobility and health..

Active school travel makes a difference.

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Healthier Children

Less traffic & pollution, safer school zones, better academic performance.

Inspiration

Featured Resource

Guide to equity in stp.

Equitable engagement is integral to the School Travel Planning (STP) process. Learn how practitioners can improve equity through their STP work.   Read the report .

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Our Active School Travel programme

We have been delivering the Active School Travel Programme across Northern Ireland since 2013.

This programme is funded by the Department for Infrastructure   and the   Public Health Agency .

We've worked with over 500 schools across the country.

Increasing the number of children who regularly walk, cycle or scoot to school has numerous benefits including:

• increased physical activity levels resulting in improved health and wellbeing
• reduced congestion and pollution around schools 
• improved academic performance and attendance rates
• increased road safety awareness
• increased confidence, self-esteem, and independence for young people.

This initiative provides schools with a planned programme of activities throughout the year, both in and out of the classroom.

You'll also get direct hands-on support from a dedicated Sustrans Active Travel Officer.

The fundamental aim of the programme is to provide schools with the skills and knowledge to get more children walking, cycling and scooting as their main mode of transport to school.

Active School Travel Officer, Dave Wiggins, pictured with pupils from Bocombra Primary School in Portadown. Credit: Brian Morrison

More children active on the school run 

At the end of the 2022-23 school year, the number of children travelling actively to school at participating schools increased from 30% to 42%.

At the same time, the number of pupils being driven to school fell from 60% to 47%.

After one year in the programme, the number of children completing physical activity for at least 60 minutes each day increased from 29% to 46%.

Take a look at the 2022-23 Summary Report to find out more about how the Active School Travel Programme is successfully working to increase the number of children walking, wheeling and cycling to school in Northern Ireland.

How your school can join the Active School Travel Programme

Recruitment for the 2023-24 school year is now closed.

All being well, we hope to be recruiting schools for the 2024-25 school year next year.

In the meantime, you can email [email protected] with an expression of interest to ensure you receive notification when recruitment opens again.

School newsletter

Download the latest edition of the Active School Travel Programme newsletter:

• AST newsletter Spring 2024

Want to get in touch?

Please email us at [email protected] or call 07824 627 674.

Read more on how we provided resources for Irish-language schools across Northern Ireland for the first time .

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Active Travel Hubs in Northern Ireland

Forth Meadow Community Greenway: Volunteer Cycle and Walk Leaders

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40 Facts About Elektrostal

Written by Lanette Mayes

Modified & Updated: 10 May 2024

Reviewed by Jessica Corbett

Elektrostal is a vibrant city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia. With a rich history, stunning architecture, and a thriving community, Elektrostal is a city that has much to offer. Whether you are a history buff, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about different cultures, Elektrostal is sure to captivate you.

This article will provide you with 40 fascinating facts about Elektrostal, giving you a better understanding of why this city is worth exploring. From its origins as an industrial hub to its modern-day charm, we will delve into the various aspects that make Elektrostal a unique and must-visit destination.

So, join us as we uncover the hidden treasures of Elektrostal and discover what makes this city a true gem in the heart of Russia.

Key Takeaways:

• Elektrostal, known as the “Motor City of Russia,” is a vibrant and growing city with a rich industrial history, offering diverse cultural experiences and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability.
• With its convenient location near Moscow, Elektrostal provides a picturesque landscape, vibrant nightlife, and a range of recreational activities, making it an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.

Known as the “Motor City of Russia.”

Elektrostal, a city located in the Moscow Oblast region of Russia, earned the nickname “Motor City” due to its significant involvement in the automotive industry.

Home to the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Elektrostal is renowned for its metallurgical plant, which has been producing high-quality steel and alloys since its establishment in 1916.

Boasts a rich industrial heritage.

Elektrostal has a long history of industrial development, contributing to the growth and progress of the region.

Founded in 1916.

The city of Elektrostal was founded in 1916 as a result of the construction of the Elektrostal Metallurgical Plant.

Located approximately 50 kilometers east of Moscow.

Elektrostal is situated in close proximity to the Russian capital, making it easily accessible for both residents and visitors.

Known for its vibrant cultural scene.

Elektrostal is home to several cultural institutions, including museums, theaters, and art galleries that showcase the city’s rich artistic heritage.

A popular destination for nature lovers.

Surrounded by picturesque landscapes and forests, Elektrostal offers ample opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and birdwatching.

Hosts the annual Elektrostal City Day celebrations.

Every year, Elektrostal organizes festive events and activities to celebrate its founding, bringing together residents and visitors in a spirit of unity and joy.

Has a population of approximately 160,000 people.

Elektrostal is home to a diverse and vibrant community of around 160,000 residents, contributing to its dynamic atmosphere.

Boasts excellent education facilities.

The city is known for its well-established educational institutions, providing quality education to students of all ages.

A center for scientific research and innovation.

Elektrostal serves as an important hub for scientific research, particularly in the fields of metallurgy, materials science, and engineering.

Surrounded by picturesque lakes.

The city is blessed with numerous beautiful lakes, offering scenic views and recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike.

Well-connected transportation system.

Elektrostal benefits from an efficient transportation network, including highways, railways, and public transportation options, ensuring convenient travel within and beyond the city.

Famous for its traditional Russian cuisine.

Food enthusiasts can indulge in authentic Russian dishes at numerous restaurants and cafes scattered throughout Elektrostal.

Home to notable architectural landmarks.

Elektrostal boasts impressive architecture, including the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the Elektrostal Palace of Culture.

Offers a wide range of recreational facilities.

Residents and visitors can enjoy various recreational activities, such as sports complexes, swimming pools, and fitness centers, enhancing the overall quality of life.

Provides a high standard of healthcare.

Elektrostal is equipped with modern medical facilities, ensuring residents have access to quality healthcare services.

Home to the Elektrostal History Museum.

The Elektrostal History Museum showcases the city’s fascinating past through exhibitions and displays.

A hub for sports enthusiasts.

Elektrostal is passionate about sports, with numerous stadiums, arenas, and sports clubs offering opportunities for athletes and spectators.

Celebrates diverse cultural festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal hosts a variety of cultural festivals, celebrating different ethnicities, traditions, and art forms.

Electric power played a significant role in its early development.

Elektrostal owes its name and initial growth to the establishment of electric power stations and the utilization of electricity in the industrial sector.

Boasts a thriving economy.

The city’s strong industrial base, coupled with its strategic location near Moscow, has contributed to Elektrostal’s prosperous economic status.

Houses the Elektrostal Drama Theater.

The Elektrostal Drama Theater is a cultural centerpiece, attracting theater enthusiasts from far and wide.

Popular destination for winter sports.

Elektrostal’s proximity to ski resorts and winter sport facilities makes it a favorite destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities.

Promotes environmental sustainability.

Elektrostal prioritizes environmental protection and sustainability, implementing initiatives to reduce pollution and preserve natural resources.

Home to renowned educational institutions.

Elektrostal is known for its prestigious schools and universities, offering a wide range of academic programs to students.

Committed to cultural preservation.

The city values its cultural heritage and takes active steps to preserve and promote traditional customs, crafts, and arts.

Hosts an annual International Film Festival.

The Elektrostal International Film Festival attracts filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from around the world, showcasing a diverse range of films.

Encourages entrepreneurship and innovation.

Elektrostal supports aspiring entrepreneurs and fosters a culture of innovation, providing opportunities for startups and business development.

Offers a range of housing options.

Elektrostal provides diverse housing options, including apartments, houses, and residential complexes, catering to different lifestyles and budgets.

Home to notable sports teams.

Elektrostal is proud of its sports legacy, with several successful sports teams competing at regional and national levels.

Boasts a vibrant nightlife scene.

Residents and visitors can enjoy a lively nightlife in Elektrostal, with numerous bars, clubs, and entertainment venues.

Promotes cultural exchange and international relations.

Elektrostal actively engages in international partnerships, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic collaborations to foster global connections.

Surrounded by beautiful nature reserves.

Nearby nature reserves, such as the Barybino Forest and Luchinskoye Lake, offer opportunities for nature enthusiasts to explore and appreciate the region’s biodiversity.

Commemorates historical events.

The city pays tribute to significant historical events through memorials, monuments, and exhibitions, ensuring the preservation of collective memory.

Promotes sports and youth development.

Elektrostal invests in sports infrastructure and programs to encourage youth participation, health, and physical fitness.

Hosts annual cultural and artistic festivals.

Throughout the year, Elektrostal celebrates its cultural diversity through festivals dedicated to music, dance, art, and theater.

Provides a picturesque landscape for photography enthusiasts.

The city’s scenic beauty, architectural landmarks, and natural surroundings make it a paradise for photographers.

Connects to Moscow via a direct train line.

The convenient train connection between Elektrostal and Moscow makes commuting between the two cities effortless.

A city with a bright future.

Elektrostal continues to grow and develop, aiming to become a model city in terms of infrastructure, sustainability, and quality of life for its residents.

In conclusion, Elektrostal is a fascinating city with a rich history and a vibrant present. From its origins as a center of steel production to its modern-day status as a hub for education and industry, Elektrostal has plenty to offer both residents and visitors. With its beautiful parks, cultural attractions, and proximity to Moscow, there is no shortage of things to see and do in this dynamic city. Whether you’re interested in exploring its historical landmarks, enjoying outdoor activities, or immersing yourself in the local culture, Elektrostal has something for everyone. So, next time you find yourself in the Moscow region, don’t miss the opportunity to discover the hidden gems of Elektrostal.

Q: What is the population of Elektrostal?

A: As of the latest data, the population of Elektrostal is approximately XXXX.

Q: How far is Elektrostal from Moscow?

A: Elektrostal is located approximately XX kilometers away from Moscow.

Q: Are there any famous landmarks in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to several notable landmarks, including XXXX and XXXX.

Q: What industries are prominent in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal is known for its steel production industry and is also a center for engineering and manufacturing.

Q: Are there any universities or educational institutions in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal is home to XXXX University and several other educational institutions.

Q: What are some popular outdoor activities in Elektrostal?

A: Elektrostal offers several outdoor activities, such as hiking, cycling, and picnicking in its beautiful parks.

Q: Is Elektrostal well-connected in terms of transportation?

A: Yes, Elektrostal has good transportation links, including trains and buses, making it easily accessible from nearby cities.

Q: Are there any annual events or festivals in Elektrostal?

A: Yes, Elektrostal hosts various events and festivals throughout the year, including XXXX and XXXX.

Elektrostal's fascinating history, vibrant culture, and promising future make it a city worth exploring. For more captivating facts about cities around the world, discover the unique characteristics that define each city . Uncover the hidden gems of Moscow Oblast through our in-depth look at Kolomna. Lastly, dive into the rich industrial heritage of Teesside, a thriving industrial center with its own story to tell.

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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Where to watch movies for free in Moscow this summer

People watching a movie in a Pioner 24-hour open-air cinema in Gorky Park.

Temporary cinemas will be popping up across Moscow very soon, starting from July 16. All of the spots are brilliant examples of either constructivist or avant-garde architecture, so expect striking settings. A selection of classic Soviet films will be aired using cinematic equipment from the last century. All the screenings are free although online registration is required beforehand, while there will also be guided tours of the spaces, organized by the “Moscow through the Engineer's Eyes” company.

Registration will be open soon at mos-kino.ru

Bread factory

Following the success of former factories transformed into art spaces (VinZavod, Arma, Trekhgornaya manufacture), Khlebzavod (“bread factory”) No 9 is one newly opened joint that is attracting creative types from all over the city. The movie Time! Forward! will be screened in the building’s boiler room on July 16. It follows workers from the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works, one of the largest steel companies in Russia, and is based on a novel by Soviet writer Valentin Kataev.

What’s more, Khlebzavod is a monument to constructivist architecture. Where better to watch such a film?

Novodmitrovskaya St. 1

Roof of the Narkomfin Building

The Narkomfin Building was originally designed to house high ranking employees at the Commissariat of Finance. It was built by architects Moisei Ginsburg and Ignaty Milinis. Also a fine example of constructivism, it’s currently in a state of disrepair, locked down, and fairly difficult to get into - which is like a red flag to a bull for more adventurous types.

However, on July 30 the place will be opened up and people will be welcomed onto the roof to watch the film Faith and Truth.

Novinsky Blvrd . 25b1

Khrushchyovka courtyard

A courtyard located in the 9th experimental block of the Novye Cheremushki district will turn into an outdoor cinema this summer. Cheremushki is the first district where Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchyov decided to build the iconic Khrushchyovka apartment blocks in the 1950s. As a result, thousands of Russians were given their own pads after decades living huddled together in communal apartments known as kommunalka .

Cheremushki is the adapted film-version of Dmitry Shostakovich’s operetta and will be shown here on Aug. 6. The organizers of the multiple screenings - the Moskino cinema chain - say they will revive the Soviet tradition of neighbors meeting in courtyards for a good old tongue wag. There will also be a guided tour of the block.

Address to be confirmed at mos-kino.ru

Pioneers Palace

If you want a slice of the postwar Soviet avant-garde style, head to the Pioneers Palace at Vorobyevy Gory. Pioneers Palaces were youth centers for sport, creativity, and hobbies for Young Pioneers (a communist organization for children) during the Soviet Union. There were dance classes, martial arts, drawing, and many other activities.

To Love a Man , a movie about two young architects building a new town in Siberia, will be shown here on Aug. 22. There will also be a lecture about building experiments in the 20th century.

Kosygina St. 17b2

A secret place

The last cinema venue remains a secret. On Aug. 27 there will be a screening, but at the moment no one knows where. Information will appear on mos-kino.ru but those who attend all four screenings above will be able to guess the last location.

A talk about architecture and Soviet history also will be hosted here.

Read more: Relics of Constructivist Architecture in post-Soviet countries

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Moscow State Forest University

Moscow State Forest University is a specialized establishment of higher education which trains engineering personnel, scientists as well as bachelors and masters for forest industry, wood processing and pulp and paper industry and is the major educational and scientific center of forest complex of the country. One school of the university prepares specialists for aerospace industry. Established in 1919 as the Moscow Forest Engineering Institute, the school was Russia's "first higher education institution for training forest engineers."There are nine schools in university specialized in forest engineering and one school specialized in electronics, applied mathematics and computer science Faculty of Computer Science. FEST was founded in 1959 on initiative by academician Sergey Pavlovich Korolev with the goal to prepare engineers for the Soviet Aerospace industry.

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FORECAST: Ideal conditions to view the Aurora again this evening!

Weather headlines.

• Cool morning, pleasant afternoon for Mother’s Day Sunday
• Rain chances return Monday afternoon
• Weather delays possible for the PGA Championship

LATEST FORECAST

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Clear skies means another great night to check out the Aurora! Get away from the city and look north past sunset tonight.

It will be a cool evening with many spots in the 40s by Sunday morning.

Mother’s Day looks spectacular with full sunshine! You’ll need the jacket for an early brunch with most of us in the low 50s Sunday morning. We’ll rebound nicely to near 80 Sunday afternoon. What a perfect day to celebrate mom!

Clouds will be on the increase Sunday night ahead of our next system but we stay dry until Monday. It will be a warmer night thanks to the clouds with lows in the 50s. Showers will develop during the day on Monday, especially by the afternoon. Highs in the 70s.

Widespread rain and a few storms are expected throughout the day Tuesday. The severe weather risk is low thankfully but you’ll need the umbrella.

We’ll keep scattered storms in the forecast Wednesday before another system brings higher rain and storm chances back on Friday. This could mean delays in play at Valhalla for the PGA Championship. Next weekend looks drier with highs in the low 80s.

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