Parents fear that ‘a price is being put on children’s road safety’ after schemes to make areas outside schools less dangerous came to an end. ‘School Streets’ - which close roads around schools at drop-off and pick-up times - were trialled at eight Stockport primaries in a bid to encourage families to leave the car at home and walk or cycle instead.
They took place between mid-June and late July this year with parents and children reportedly ‘appreciating a low traffic environment and the opportunity to enjoy their surroundings’. Schools also said how much their pupils had enjoyed the initiative. The trials were funded by Transport for Greater Manchester to the tune of £74,000 and expected to be self-sustaining after the initial start-up costs.
But only two schools - Cheadle and St Mary’s in Reddish - have continued the initiative into the autumn term, mainly due to the ‘onerous’ demands of staffing road closures twice a day. Paul Stoddard, whose son goes to St Matthew’s, in Edgeley, said he feared the end of the schemes could have serious consequences.
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