Hot on the heels of the first School Streets trials set to launch in Portsmouth, more schools will join what has been described as ‘a revolution at the school gates’ as the second phase gets underway.
Portsmouth City Council are pleased to announce on Clean Air Day that two additional schools are to be included in the School Streets trial which helps reduce congestion from motorised traffic which adds to the problem of air pollution. School Streets also support a safer and healthier school run.
College Park Infant School and Northern Parade Schools will be trialling School Streets in February, working with the council and school communities to making the roads around the schools safer for everyone that uses them.
The schools will carry out a seven week trial in the spring term between February and April. The council are currently in discussion with other schools which will launch their trials at the same time.
The schools will hold a taster day close to the start of the trial which will give parents, carers, pupils, residents and businesses the opportunity to see their School Streets in action and find out more, ahead of the seven week trial starting in February.
The council is working with walking and cycling charity, Sustrans, to develop the School Streets, which have proved overwhelmingly popular with parents, pupils and local residents in other parts of the UK. School Streets help to develop cleaner air by reducing traffic in the roads around local schools to support a safer and healthier school run.
The council and participating schools will work closely with residents and local businesses to raise awareness of the trial which will see temporary restrictions introduced for school traffic and through traffic to the road outside the schools. Residents, blue badge holders and other vehicles, which allow access for people with disabilities and reduced mobility, will retain access.
Cllr Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, said “On Clean Air Day it’s fantastic to be able to announce that more schools will join the School Streets scheme. We’re working closely with each of the schools to make sure we develop a scheme that works well for everyone involved including local residents and businesses. I look forward to announcing additional schools joining the scheme between now and February.”
Bramble Infant School and Nursery and St Jude’s C of E Primary School are the first schools to take part in the School Streets trials which will launch in September and have taster days planned in a couple of weeks’ time.
During the trials children, parents and carers will be encouraged to make walking or cycling to school a regular part of their school travel routine and leave the car at home if possible.
Anyone that is interested in a School Street in their area should contact their local school. Head teachers can then work with the council to ask for support to launch a School Street in their area once the council has learnt from the trial how to manage School Streets successfully in Portsmouth.
