Schools team up for clean air trial

Riddings Junior School was one of four schools taking part in the trial day

Four Derbyshire schools have joined forces for a trial aimed at reducing air pollution and improving road safety.

Roads outside the schools were closed during dropping off and pick-up times on Thursday to coincide with the national Clean Air Day.

Derbyshire County Council said the trial was also aimed at cutting traffic congestion at the start and end of the school day.

The schools taking part were Riddings Infant and Nursery School, Riddings Junior School, St John's Primary School in Belper and William Gilbert Endowed Primary School and Nursery in Duffield.

Chris Henning from Derbyshire County Council said: “We’re pleased to see the schools trialling this scheme and the results will be of keen interest to us in informing future policy. "

He added that residents, emergency vehicles and blue badge holders needing to access the roads were still able to and it was just the dropping off of children right outside the schools that was being discouraged.

Ellen Saville, deputy head at Riddings Junior School, said: "It has been a really successful day.

"The children have been amazed by the emptiness of the roads. Our roads are very busy and very narrow, so to have no cars on it has been brilliant for the clean air side of things as well as the road safety aspect too."

Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.