Drivers could be fined £70 under Rugby school streets plan

Drivers were being notified about the scheme at the gates on Monday

Drivers who use a road outside a primary school could be fined £70 from next week under a safety scheme.

Eastlands Primary School, in the Hillmorton area of Rugby, is the first in Warwickshire to implement the School Streets scheme.

It will see vehicles, other than those belonging to local residents, banned from Lansdowne Place during the school's start and finish times.

Head teacher Suki Edwards said it followed increasing "near misses".

Suki Edwards said the risk to children has been growing

School Streets schemes are already in place outside schools in areas across the UK and aim to reduce traffic and make it safer for children crossing the road.

They also aim to make it easier for people who live around the school to drive in and out, encourage more families to walk, scoot and cycle to school as well as improving air quality in the area.

It is hoped the plan will improve safety and air quality around the school

At Eastlands Primary School, it will mean Lansdowne Place will be closed to all non-residential traffic during term time, Monday through to Friday from 08:15 to 09:15 and from 14:30 to 15:30.

"The risk to children has been escalating, we have noticed, over the years," Mrs Edwards said.

"Despite all our education and all our hard work we are finding that we are having too many near misses with children and traffic in the mornings and at the end of the school day."

The traffic regulation order comes into force next week and can be enforced by police - with motorists who break the rules fined up to £70.

Councillor Jan Matecki said they hope people get into the habit of not using cars

Warwickshire County Council is issuing maps pointing out car parks within minutes of the school.

Councillor Jan Matecki added: "We are hoping that next week we are actually going to stop people coming down anyway and they will start to find alternative routes and then it becomes habit forming."