Reading: Car-free streets scheme approved at three schools

The School Streets scheme aims to limit the number of cars outside schools

Roads near three schools in a town will be closed at drop-off and pick-up times in a bid to improve safety.

Under the School Streets scheme, the schools in Reading have had a period of trial closures made permanent.

Reading Borough Council has approved the closures for Wilson Primary School, Park Lane Junior School, and Thameside School in Caversham.

Roads outside the schools will be closed to traffic for up to 45 minutes, twice a day, during school term time.

The plan was approved unanimously by the authority's traffic management sub-committee, the Local Democracy Reporting Service reported.

Councillor Adele Barnet-Ward said: "I hope that other schools across the town will have a look at what's happening with these three schools, visit these school streets and see whether it could benefit them as well."

Scotland was the first in the UK to introduce School Street schemes in 2015, while Camden was the first in London in 2017.