Traffic restrictions imposed outside schools

Assitant principal Ffion Carr said so far feedback from parents had been OK

Temporary traffic restrictions have been imposed outside several Shropshire schools as part of a pilot project.

During drop-off and pick-up times, ANPR enforcement cameras are monitoring vehicles entering the so-called school streets zone and drivers without permits may be fined.

Shropshire Council said the restrictions made roads safer and reduced children's exposure to air pollution.

For the first six months of the project, first-time offenders would not be fined, the council added.

Five schools are taking part in the government-led scheme, with plans for a sixth later in there year.

The schools are:

• Gobowen Primary School

• Market Drayton Junior School

• Woodside Primary School, Oswestry

• Mereside Primary School, Shrewsbury

• Whitchurch Junior School

Ffion Carr, assistant principal at Mereside Primary School, where the scheme started this week, said being a school withs growing pupil numbers had brought additional traffic over the years.

"The safe spaces for people to park have got less and less," she said.

"What we have seen is parking that has been blocking eyeline for children to be able to cross safely or for people to be able to actually get through at certain times of the day.

"So I think this area was chosen because it was an ideal venue really to try to reduce the amount of traffic".

Children with additional needs have been consulted and adaptations have been made according to what they need, she added.

Mereside Primary School starts the scheme this week

Overall, the school was trying to get parents to park a little further away and then walk, while looking at how to support working parents, she said.

Feedback from parents "so far has been OK" Mrs Carr said, but she acknowledged that "people do not like change".

"I'm there will be challenges and bumps in the road, but so far, so good," she added.

The school streets scheme was estimated to cost about £31,000 for schools with one camera and £62,000 for schools with two cameras.

Any surplus money from enforcement would be reinvested into the project, the council said.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, cabinet member for children and education, said restricting traffic outside schools at pick-up and drop-off times during term time had made 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," she said.