Schools in Birmingham go car free

07.48 | 27 September 2019 | |

Birmingham has become the latest UK city to pilot a scheme which involves closing streets around schools to motorised traffic at peak times.

Car Free School Streets aim to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality at the school gates, as well as making it safer for children to walk or cycle to school.

Birmingham City Council is trialling the initiative at six schools in the 2019/20 academic year. The schools involved are Alston Primary, Chilcote Primary, Cofton Primary, Featherstone Primary, Nelson Primary and St Francis CE Primary.

Residents living on the streets affected will be issued with permits to access their properties and there will be some other exemptions, including blue badge holders and emergency services. 

Anyone else driving in the restricted zone at these times can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice charge of £50.

Cllr Waseem Zaffar, cabinet member for transport and environment at Birmingham City Council, said: “Car Free School Streets are about putting children and families first, making it easier and safer for them to walk or cycle to and from school, while also helping to reduce air pollution.

“Air pollution is a major problem here in Birmingham and the school gate is a location where we are particularly exposed to this. As the father of young children myself, I know that I cannot simply stand by and do nothing.

“This pilot scheme is a hugely positive step forward and is one of a number of things we are doing to tackle air pollution and encourage people to make greener travel choices.

“Although this is a pilot scheme, in the long-term I want every school in the city to be a clean air safe haven for our children.”


 

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