More Bristol schools added to list of car bans as ANPR considered

Two more schools in Bristol will become official 'School Streets' this autumn term. Ashton Gate Primary School in Southville and St Werburgh’s Primary School in St Werburgh’s have joined 11 other schools in Bristol to introduce School Streets.

This means the streets outside these schools are classed as walking, cycling, and wheeling zones, restricting car use with temporary barriers put out across the road at drop off and pick up times at the start and end of the school day. The permanent schemes encourage families to walk, cycle, wheel or scoot to school or park further away from the school and walk the last part of the journey.

Councillor Ed Plowden, Chair of the Transport and Connectivity Committee, said: “I am delighted to welcome two more schools to the Bristol School Streets programme. This scheme provides lots of benefits for local communities, including reducing traffic outside school gates, improving road safety for pupils, reducing air pollution, and boosting the number of children walking, wheeling and cycling to school.”

As part of the launch, both schools took part in celebration events aimed at encouraging and rewarding active and sustainable travel to school. Gareth Jones, Executive Headteacher of Ashton Gate Primary Schools, said: “The School Street scheme has had an immediate and profound effect on the Upton Road site at Ashton Gate. Pupils and their families are now much safer as there is a significant reduction of risk that the cars presented at the start and end of the school day.

"The support of the School Street team made implementation straightforward, and the scheme has been heralded as a huge success by the school staff and the community they serve.” Katie, a parent from St Werburgh’s Primary School, said: “Our new School Street is just wonderful. In just a few weeks we have seen reduced traffic in the immediate school area and families are so happy that they can now bring and collect their children safely.

"It seems to have increased the number of families either walking or wheeling to school, and it has brought our school community closer. Families now have a safe space to congregate at the school gates without the issues of idling cars parking up on the pavement or traffic-congested roads close to the gates. The School Street has created such a pleasant environment that the school drop off and pick up has become a joy.”

This latest expansion of the 'School Streets' scheme coincides with the recent decision by councillors on the Transport and Connectivity Committee to approve further investigation into the potential installation of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras outside of some schools to improve road safety. Officers are exploring the potential of installing these cameras outside of schools to enforce parking restrictions that are an important means of keeping children, families and other road users safe during busy school drop off and pick up times. Combined, these two schemes are putting a greater focus on the health and safety of children and their parents and carers during the school day.