Minutes

2024/48: Travel Free School Streets, Formal Council Questions and Responses - Monday, 23rd December, 2024

Contact: Anne Jenkins  Governance Team Leader

Items
No. Item

1.

Question to the Cabinet Member for Assets and Infrastructure : 2024/48 - Travel Free School Streets

Minutes:

Councillor Fouweather asked:

 

I note that the council has plans for travel free streets near schools.

 

How many schools will take part and which roads will be impacted.

 

How will residents be affected especially those who need to access their car when the road is closed.

 

How do you plan to manage the large number of children who are dropped to school by parents, taxis and bus. Will there be designated drop off points and will the school be expected to meet those children at the drop off point to escort them to school.

 

 

Councillor R Howells responded:

 

The Council has undertaken multiple school street trials over the last three years. These have been promoted and advertised widely. 

 

No such issues have been observed during the last three years.

 

Residents have full access to their vehicles during the trials and can come and go as they usually would and there are also exemptions to the closure including carers of residents, business owners, deliveries, school transport, blue badge holders and emergency services.

 

There will be no designated drop off points, it will remain the responsibility of parents to ensure their children are delivered to school gates and if they continue to drop off then they will be expected to find a safe and legal space to park (outside of the closure area) as they would normally be required to do.

 

The trials are designed to encourage behaviour change and are also used to assess impact and feasibility with the longer-term goal being to consider making the trials permanent of that is feasible and appropriate.