Cars to be banned from some Portsmouth school streets as part of trial

CARS will be banned from some city schools around drop-off and pick-up times in a bid to create safer and healthier journeys for those walking and cycling.
Pictured: A school street that was trialled in Sheffield. Picture: Chris EtchellsPictured: A school street that was trialled in Sheffield. Picture: Chris Etchells
Pictured: A school street that was trialled in Sheffield. Picture: Chris Etchells

Portsmouth s first ever school streets will launch this September as part of a six-month trial around several schools that are yet to be announced.

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.

Read More
Streets in Portsmouth with schools on could be closed at busy times to improve s...
Pictured: A school street that was trialled in Sheffield. Picture: Chris EtchellsPictured: A school street that was trialled in Sheffield. Picture: Chris Etchells
Pictured: A school street that was trialled in Sheffield. Picture: Chris Etchells
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Councillor Suzy Horton, Portsmouth City Council's education boss, said: 'I'm delighted that we're able to introduce this trial of School Streets to Portsmouth.

'We've been listening to school communities and will carefully select the schools who have requested to take part in the trial based on casualty data and requests for better traffic control in these areas.

'I hope that parents and children will be able to embrace all the benefits that active travel brings to their lives, laying the foundations for an active and healthy future.'

The concept of school streets was first mooted for Portsmouth in 2019, with hopes they would be piloted in 2020 as part of a 'superzone' scheme to tackle all aspects of healthy living in schools.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However, this was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hampshire County Council has started a school streets scheme.

The Portsmouth trial, which is being organised by the city council and walking and cycling charity Sustrans, will take part in two phases each lasting seven weeks.

Megan Streb, partnerships manager at Sustrans, added: 'School streets schemes in other parts of the country have proved beneficial for road safety and air quality. And they create a cleaner, more pleasant environment outside the school.

'In turn, school streets increase the likelihood that children will walk or cycle to school instead of being dropped off in a car, so they get to school feeling alert and ready for a day of learning.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As reported, the city's first ever play street was trialled in 2019 in Southsea, which meant a road was closed to traffic for an afternoon to allow children to play outside.

The school streets scheme will be funded by the government's active travel fund and the travel demand management fund.

To find out more email [email protected].

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news online - as well as fewer adverts, access to our digital edition and mobile app.

Our trial offer starts at just £2 a month for the first two months.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.