Shropshire school traffic restrictions to come into force

The School Streets scheme is funded by the Department for Transport

New traffic restrictions outside Shropshire schools will come into force in April.

Shropshire Council said under the School Streets pilot, roads outside six primary schools would be pedestrianised at pick-up and drop-off times.

Residents were eligible for permits, however, and would receive letters shortly, the council said.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, councillor for education, said the plan was to make it safer for pupils to walk and cycle.

Signs announcing the measure are in place near Castlefields Primary School, Bridgnorth, and are due to go up at the five other schools during half-term next week. Those sites include:

• Gobowen Primary School

• Woodside Primary School, Oswestry

• Whitchurch Junior School

• Market Drayton Junior School

• Mereside Primary School, Shrewsbury

The council said the measures were also about reducing children's exposure to air pollution from cars with idling engines outside school gates.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras will be used to enforce the scheme.

They will be installed outside the schools including Coleham Primary School in Shrewsbury which already has the scheme in place.

Gobowen Primary School is one of the sites in the scheme

For the first six months of the pilot, a grace period will be in place for first-time offenders.

"Shropshire Council is on track to be the first rural council with a School Streets programme and the power to enforce moving traffic offences, which is great for the county and our school pupils," said Dan Morris, the councillor responsible for highways.

The scheme has been funded through Department for Transport grant money and is estimated to cost approximately £31,000 for schools with one camera and £62,000 for schools with two cameras.

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