14/05/2024 - Permalink

School Streets pilot to begin at five schools next month

Related topics: Children's services / Highways, transport and environmental maintenance

An 18-month School Streets pilot is set to begin at five Shropshire schools on Monday 3 June [2024] – with a sixth school to follow soon.

School Streets are streets outside of school gates that have temporary restrictions on motorised traffic (except for permit holders) during school drop-off and pick-up times.

During these times ANPR enforcement cameras will be used to monitor vehicles entering the School Streets zone and drivers without permits may receive a fine (Penalty Charge Notice - PCN) of £70.

The five schools taking part in the trial from 3 June are:

  • Gobowen Primary School
  • Market Drayton Junior School
  • Woodside Primary School, Oswestry
  • Mereside Primary School, Shrewsbury
  • Whitchurch Junior School

Castlefields Primary School, Bridgnorth was due to take part in the pilot but recently withdrew, and a School Street will instead be introduced later in the year at St John’s Primary School in Bridgnorth. A School Street is already in place at Coleham Primary in Shrewsbury – implemented using coronavirus powers.

Shropshire Council is offering permits to those requiring access to the School Streets zones during their hours of operation, including residents, school staff, Blue Badge holders, businesses, carers, and those requiring private parking access. For full details, click here.

Anyone wishing to apply for a permit will be required to create an account and upload their qualifying supporting evidence by 3 June 2024. Letters have been sent to residents and businesses in the School Streets zones this week, and full details can be found on the council website.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said

“It’s really important that we make roads safe for all users, especially around schools, and I’m really pleased that our School Streets pilot will soon begin.

“School Streets have proven to be successful in increasing active travel levels to school as well as creating safer environments outside the school gates.

“Where traffic is restricted on roads outside schools at pick-up and drop-off times during term-times, School Streets make it safer and easier for children to walk, scoot and cycle to school. This reduces children’s exposure to air pollution on part of their journey to school and from cars with idling engines outside the school gates.

“We already have one School Street at Coleham Primary in Shrewsbury and I’m delighted that six more will soon be added to the list.”

The School Streets scheme is 100% funded through DfT grant funding and is estimated to cost approximately £31,000 for schools with one camera and £62,000 for schools with two cameras.

Any surplus arising from enforcement of School Streets will be reinvested back into the School Streets project to enable the continued rollout across the county.

For the first six months of the pilot a grace period will be in place for first-time offenders.

For more information about School Streets, click here.

Further information

1) The School Streets pilot will be officially launched with an event at Market Drayton Junior School on Thursday 6 June.

2) A permit application must be supported by:

  • A valid council tax reference number for the property in the required school street zone
  • Proof of your vehicle V5C / lease agreement / company car authorisation showing your name, the vehicle registration number, and the address it is registered

3) From 31 May 2022, local authorities in England outside of London were able to apply to the Secretary of State for new powers to enforce ‘moving traffic offences’, and the legal order came into effect on 22 July 2023.

Under the moving traffic powers Shropshire Council has the power to enforce a range of ‘moving traffic’ offences, and enforcement of the School Streets programme using ANPR cameras will be the first use of these powers.