Sheffield school road safety scheme funded by Clean Air Zone money

The School Streets scheme means traffic cannot be driven near a school during start and finish times

A headteacher has praised a move to allocate money generated from Sheffield's Clean Air Zone (CAZ) towards extending a road safety scheme.

A total of £2.3m has been raised through charges and fines from the CAZ since its introduction last year.

Among the projects in the city set to benefit is the School Streets scheme, which sees roads outside schools closed at drop-off and pick-up times.

Burngreave head teacher David Boyd said he recommended the scheme "100%".

The School Streets programme, first introduced in 2021, has since been extended to 12 city primary schools, with Astrea Academy the first secondary school to take part.

Mr Boyd, Astrea Academy's principal, said safety was always the school's "main priority".

"Before the scheme, things were becoming a bit dangerous," he said.

"Right outside the school, where children were trying to cross, parents would be doing three-point turns."

David Boyd, pictured alongside school caretaker Kirk, says he is pleased other schools will benefit from the scheme

Mr Boyd said he believed other Sheffield schools would benefit from the School Streets scheme.

"We're now a quiet road and calm children ready to learn for school in the morning," he said.

"It may be a minor inconvenience to some, but we'll take inconvenience over accidents."

The CAZ, which funds the School Streets scheme, was introduced in February 2023.

Drivers of commercial vehicles which do not meet emission standards have to pay either £10 or £50, depending on the vehicle's size, to enter the city centre.

Private cars and motorbikes are not affected.

Councillor Ben Miskell, from Sheffield City Council, said: "Air pollution in Sheffield, especially around schools, has a negative impact on our children's health.

"Improving the air they breathe is our number one priority."

Other projects set to see funding boosts from CAZ cash include community and school cycle storage and part-time 20mph zones outside schools.