More Portsmouth schools to ban cars at start and end of the school day

MORE schools in Portmsouth have signed up to what the city council has labelled ‘a revolution at the school gates’.
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Next year, College Park Infant School and Northern Parade Schools will be trialling the School Streets initiative, following in the footsteps of others in the city.

Initially planned for 2020, the start of the scheme was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with Bramble Infant School and Nursery and St Jude's C of E Primary School set to trial it this September instead.

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Jenni Jones, Liveable Cities & Towns Officer, Portsmouth Sustrans South

Cllr Suzy Horton

Deborah Dalzell, Road safety officer, Portsmouth City CouncilJenni Jones, Liveable Cities & Towns Officer, Portsmouth Sustrans South

Cllr Suzy Horton

Deborah Dalzell, Road safety officer, Portsmouth City Council
Jenni Jones, Liveable Cities & Towns Officer, Portsmouth Sustrans South Cllr Suzy Horton Deborah Dalzell, Road safety officer, Portsmouth City Council
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The announcement was made to tie in with Clean Air Day, marked on June 17.

In a school street temporary restrictions for both school traffic and through traffic are introduced to the road outside the school during the start and end of the school day, reducing congestion and pollution.

Councillor Suzy Horton, cabinet member for children, families and education, said: ‘On Clean Air Day it's fantastic to be able to announce that more schools will join the School Streets scheme.

‘We're working closely with each of the schools to make sure we develop a scheme that works well for everyone involved including local residents and businesses.

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‘I look forward to announcing additional schools joining the scheme between now and February.’

The schools will carry out a seven week trial in the spring term between February and April. The council are currently in discussion with other schools which will launch their trials at the same time.

Each school will hold a taster day close to the start of the trial which will give parents, carers, pupils, residents and businesses the opportunity to see their School Streets in action and find out more, ahead of the seven week trial starting in February.

Portsmouth City Council is working with walking and cycling charity Sustrans to develop the School Streets, which have proven to be popular with parents, pupils and local residents in other parts of the UK.

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The council believes that School Streets helps to develop cleaner air by reducing traffic in the roads around local schools to support a safer and healthier school run.

During the trials children, parents and carers will be encouraged to make walking or cycling to school a regular part of their school travel routine and leave the car at home if possible.

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