The City of Edinburgh Council is running a consultation on proposals to prohibit vehicles from using roads adjacent to some of the city’s primary schools.
The council is seeking the views of stakeholders and the public on its proposal which will introduce “school streets” at 11 primary schools across Edinburgh for a trial period of 18 months.
The council says the locations it has selected “have been experiencing on going road safety issues caused by drivers bringing their vehicles too close to the school gates”.
It says that introducing school streets will “increase walking and cycling and active lifestyles for pupils and parents/carers”, and result in a “reduction in traffic speed, congestion and pollution around the school gates”.
The council says it is responding to demand from parents and residents to restrict vehicular traffic during specified time periods, before and after school.
The pilot scheme will be introduced will be through an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order which will be in force for 18 months. At the end of this period the project will be evaluated and a decision made whether to make the scheme permanent.
Permits will be issued to residents, local businesses, Blue Badge holders and other permitted vehicles, such as emergency services, exempting them from the prohibition.
The consultation runs from 15 December 2014 to 27 February 2015.
If it’s anything like the consultations taken for 20 mph where residents, or should I say locals, agreed that were there to be fewer accidents or less injuries to children etc that they would accept the speed reduction. Then they found out that it would slow them down getting to and from school and the shops and pension offices and banks and then they complained and got the 20 mph restricted to main roads only.
Looks to me like another one of those situations. We will no doubt find out some time in the future whether it works or be made aware of a report by Edinburgh Council or some charity in about a year’s time claiming that it was a success.
Bob Craven…. Space is Safe Campaigner.
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