School Streets frequently asked questions

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What is a School Street?

A School Street is where vehicle access is restricted near to a school during the busy times when children are dropped off and picked up.

The aim of a School Street is to help:

• Reduce congestion around the school
• Prevent dangerous driving, parking and turning outside school where there are lots of children and families
• Reduce air pollution (caused by engines running) and noise
• Provide a safer, calmer, happier, healthier space for our children
• Encourage walking, cycling, wheeling and scooting to school

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How does a School Street work?

To implement a School Street, The Council use a legal Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) to restrict access to traffic at school drop off and pick up times. Barriers and cones are put out by staff or volunteers at the start and removed at the end of the restricted time. This creates a School Street and means that the street is closed to most vehicles at the busy start and end of the school day. This helps to make a safer, calmer environment for children as they start and leave school, and often to improve the situation for local residents.

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When does a School Street operate?

The restriction will only be in place during term time, for a short time at the start and end of each school day. Signs giving the times and dates of when access to the School Street is restricted are displayed on signposts at the start of the School Street zone.

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Does the Council consult with people before implementing the School Street?

When any new School Street scheme is being considered, the Council consults with elected members, the school, local residents and businesses. Each scheme is introduced for a few months on a trial basis and the impact of the scheme is monitored and evaluated.

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Are School Streets legal?

Schools Streets are introduced using a legal Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) or Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO). Councils use these orders to restrict or control traffic in an area as needed.

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How will people know about the School Street?

The council will send letters to notify any residents and businesses who will be affected. Signs will be installed at the start of the School Street zone. If you live or have a business within the School Street, please tell your visitors about the restrictions when visits are being planned and ask visitors to park on surrounding roads outside of the zone for the short time it is in place each day.

The school will send out regular communications to parents and families reminding them about the school street. Where possible they will also put out portable road closed signs and provide stewards to marshal the scheme.

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How will the School Street be enforced?

The School Street is implemented using a legal traffic order. This means that drivers who enter the School Street (without a permit) during the times when access is restricted are committing a moving traffic offence and the Police could enforce this and issue a fine. But, this isn’t just about doing the right thing when the police or traffic wardens are about. School Streets are designed to improve safety and wellbeing for children and to reduce traffic pollution in the area outside the school gates. We hope the community will see this as the right thing to do and support it, perhaps becoming a volunteer helper.

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Are School Streets permanent?

School Street schemes are usually piloted for 12 to 18 months. During this time, schemes are monitored and evaluated. The local community and residents will be asked to give their views. Depending on whether it has had a positive impact, the council will work with the school to decide whether the School Street should be made permanent. If, when a scheme becomes permanent, it still does not work as expected, then the scheme can still be stopped by mutual agreement.

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How will the School Street be monitored?

The Council and our evaluation partner will do traffic counts to understand how children are travelling to school before and after the scheme starts. There will also be a survey for parents and children to tell is wo they feel about School Streets. Observations and feedback is also invited from members of the public via school.streets@bradford.gov.uk.

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How will parents, carers and children with restricted mobility be affected by the School Street?

Blue badge holders and families with Council-organised transport to school are exempt from the School Street restrictions. A School Street scheme should make it easier and safer for pupils, parents and carers with limited mobility to access the school, by reducing traffic close to school. Please do avoid parking on school ‘keep clear’ (yellow zigzag) markings.

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How will residents and businesses be affected?

Residents and businesses with premises in a School Street are exempt from the restriction but you must display a permit inside your vehicle. If you live or operate a business within a school street zone, the council will write to you with details of how to apply for your permit or you can email school.streets@bradford.gov.uk.

If a school street is well supported by the school community it should improve the situation for residents and businesses by reducing school traffic. You can still help to improve children’s safety and support their wellbeing by avoiding moving your vehicle during the restricted times if possible (It is not necessary to move parked vehicles from the street). If you do need to move your vehicle, please:

• Clearly display an access permit in your windscreen
• Drive at walking speed - 5mph or less- and with extreme caution. There are likely to be many children and families walking, scooting, cycling and crossing the road(s).

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Where else can parents park?

We hope that more children and families will feel able to walk, cycle or scoot to school or for at least part of the journey. You may not be able to leave the car at home every day, but any time you can, or park further away from school, it will make a difference. You will help to make the air cleaner and roads safer, and you should save money on fuel. Just 20 minutes' movement a day can help to improve your child’s health and your own.

If you do need to drive to school, if you are dropping children off on your way to work or another school, then for the safety of your child and all the children and families at our school you must not drive down or park in the School Street(s). This is a legal restriction that the police can enforce. Please park safely on quieter streets a little further away from school. Wherever you park, you must make sure you do it legally, safely and are considerate to local residents by not blocking the roads, driveways, pavements or junctions.

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Will the School Street remove all traffic?

No, a School Street is designed to reduce the volume of traffic associated with the school run. Emergency vehicles will always have access. Residents and businesses within the zone can move their vehicle, but are encouraged not to if possible. Some groups (for example blue badge holders) will also be allowed access. A School Street won’t remove all traffic, but it should greatly reduce traffic when children are arriving at or leaving school.

A new School Street can take a few months for everyone to adjust to the changes, but the result when the school community supports it is a safer and healthier environment for everyone.

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What if I am already parked inside the School Street zone before the operating time?

Vehicles already parked in the roads before the times of operation will be able to remain there, but will not be allowed to exit until after the finish time of the School Street, unless they hold a permit. During the operating times, any vehicle with a permit that needs to be moved must travel at walking pace - 5mph or less- and with extreme caution. Please let a steward know that you need to move your vehicle. There are likely to be many children and families walking, scooting, cycling and crossing the road(s).

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Will the School Street cause more traffic on other roads and will this be unsafe?

A new School Street should reduce traffic during drop-off and pick-up times. Parking will be dispersed over a wider area away from the school gates. In some cases, the school may be able to negotiate a Park and Stride Scheme, provide a Walking Bus or suggest other places where drivers can park safely. It is difficult to predict exactly how much traffic will be reduced or dispersed. For this reason, new School Streets are piloted for 12 to 18 months whilst the council monitors, evaluates and reviews the impact before considering whether to make it permanent.

Our first Pilot scheme in Bradford indicated that the traffic displacement did not cause road safety issues of any significance.

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Can I help?

Yes, everyone can help by:

• Walking, cycling or scooting with your children to school where possible. Why not use your school journey to join the District’s 20 minute movement campaign? Just 20 minutes' movement everyday can help to improve your child’s health and your own. If you struggle to find time to fit exercise into your daily life, then making the journey to school an active one can really help. Find out more about the 20 minute movement campaign by visiting the 20 minute movement website.
• Parking safely on quieter streets a little further away from school and walking the last five minutes on days where there is no other option than to use the car.
• Supporting the consultation process and providing feedback.
• Speaking to the school about becoming a volunteer School Street Steward or about helping to set up a Walking Bus or Park and Stride Scheme

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Can I comment on School Streets?

Yes, we would love to hear from you. Please contact school.streets@bradford.gov.uk.