South Lanarkshire Council are proposing to introduce a car free school zone around St. Joseph’s Primary School.
We’ve received many messages about this asking for more information, so here goes…..
This is a scheme where the road outside a school is closed to most traffic at school opening and closing times. The aim of the scheme is to provide a safer, more pleasant environment for everyone using the street whilst maintaining access for residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclists.
Consultation on the proposals will run from 7th November to 13th December 2019 where residents, parents and other users of the zone will have the opportunity to review the proposals and offer comments through a questionnaire.
Information Event
An information event will be held at St. Joseph’s Primary School on Monday 25th November 2019 between 3pm and 6pm where officers will be available to answer any questions and assist with anyone wishing to complete the questionnaire.
If you cannot attend the information event, details will also be published on the St Joseph’s website and social media platforms, including a link to the consultation questionnaire. All are welcome to attend.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Car Free School Zones Frequently asked questions
What are Car Free School Zones?
Car Free School Zones is an initiative where the streets outside a school are closed to traffic at school opening and closing times. Closing the streets to school and through traffic helps to achieve a safer, more pleasant environment for everyone using the streets whilst maintaining access for residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclists.
What are it aims?
The main aims of the scheme are to reduce the volume of traffic past school gates. This will improve the air quality where there is greatest concentration of children. We would hope that the scheme would encourage more pupils to walk or cycle to school, with the health benefits this would also bring.
When will the scheme start?
Consultation is ongoing and will continue until 13 December 2019. At this stage a decision will be made as to whether the schemes will progress. The Experimental Traffic Regulation Order will be promoted early in 2020, with an intended start date of 20 April 2020 (the start of summer term).
How will it work?
The streets around school entrances become a pedestrian and cycle-only zone before and after school but with a few exempted vehicles. Signs at the entrances to the scheme will inform drivers of the restrictions. Non-registered vehicles entering the scheme during the times of operation will be identified by police officers and issued a fixed penalty notice.
What times are the restrictions in force?
The scheme operates for set periods before entry and after exit times of the school during school term time. It will not operate in the school holidays or at weekends. The length of each restriction is expected to be between 08:00 and 09:15 in the morning and between 14:30 and 15:30 in the afternoon. These times may vary slightly after consultation, taking account of all user needs. Vehicles should not drive in the scheme between these times, unless they have been given an exemption.
Who will enforce them?
The scheme will be enforced by Police Scotland. The penalty for ignoring the prohibition is a fixed penalty notice of £50. Warning signs will be installed at the entrance to the zones and also on the approaches, giving drivers an opportunity to find alternative routes around the closed streets.
What if I enter the zone before the operating times?
The road will operate as normal outwith the advertised times on the signs. If you enter a zone prior to the start of the zone times, you will need to wait until after the end of the operating times to exit, or you will be subject to a fixed penalty notice, the same as entering the zone.
I am a resident of a Car Free School Zone, what do I need to know? Can I drive in and out of my street during operating times?
Residents living within the scheme will be able to apply, free of charge, for an exemption for a vehicle, or vehicles, registered to their address. This will allow them to drive that vehicle in the scheme when it is closed to other traffic. Although we would encourage residents to try to, where possible, make their journeys outwith the restricted times. It is the resident’s responsibility to tell the Council if they change their vehicle and register a new number plate for exemption.
As a blue badge holder, can I apply for an exemption?
Blue badge holders must apply for an exemption. Where there is an identified need for exemption these will be granted.
As a parent/carer, can I apply for an exemption?
Parents or carers dropping children at school will not be eligible for an exemption. You can only be granted an exemption if you or your child are a blue badge holder.
Will school staff get an exemption?
School staff will be encouraged to get to school prior to the zone start times. Where this is not possible exemptions may be granted.
What other road users are permitted in the scheme?
This will vary from scheme to scheme, often depending on information obtained through the consultation/engagement process. Likely exemptions are emergency service vehicles and contract school transport dropping, or picking up, pupils from the school or their home address, if it is within a Car Free School Zone.
This scheme will penalise parents and is a ban on driving to school
No, it is a ban on driving just on streets around school entrances; parents who feel they need to drive will have to park legally nearby and walk the last leg of the journey. Information will be provided on locations where parents can park. At many schools, there are already a high proportion of pupils walking and cycling to school however the concentration of traffic around school gates can put many off from walking or cycling. It is hoped that the scheme will encourage even more pupils to walk or cycle to school.
The signage would be unsightly and, because this is such an unusual form of restriction, it would have to be large and prominent.
The signage will be kept to a minimum, with a pair of signs being erected at the entrances to the scheme and one advance sign for each approach to the zone.
Could this create congestion on surrounding streets?
We will be working with school communities to identify and promote locations away from schools where parents can park; this should disperse the cars over a wider area than at present. Reward schemes could be introduced to encourage use of these ‘Park & Stride’ sites, as well as pedestrian & cycle training, setting up of walking buses (groups of children accompanied by adults), school crossing patrols (at new crossing points, subject to meeting the current criteria) and provision of additional cycle and scooter parking.
How long will the scheme last?
The scheme will initially be promoted as a trial by an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, so it is only being made for a maximum period of 18 months. During this period, each scheme will be reviewed and, if deemed successful, can be made permanent by the introduction of a permanent Traffic Regulation Order.
Can I lodge an objection to the scheme.
An Experimental Traffic Regulation Order is a legal process which imposes traffic and parking restrictions such as road closures, on specific streets for a short time span of up to 18 months. However, it is not possible to lodge a formal objection to an experimental order until it is in force. This allows Councils to introduce new and innovative schemes and take feedback on the progress of them whilst they are in operation. Once it is in force, objections may be made to the order being made permanent and these must be made within six months of the day that the experimental order comes into force.
Were other options explored to improve the traffic problem and children’s safety before introducing the Car Free School Zone scheme?
Schools chosen to participate in these schemes have already tried other means of improving the road environment around the school gates. Other traffic management options, or extensive parking restrictions, may have been considered, but to introduce them on a permanent 24/7 basis would penalise those residents living in the affected streets based on an issue that occurs only during school term times at drop-off and pick-up times. The Car Free School Zones project provides an opportunity to trial a new way of addressing concerns raised around school parking and congestion, whilst encouraging and enabling alternative and sustainable forms of travel to school.
How will you know if the pilot has been successful?
The road should be visibly calmer, safer and cleaner during these times. Data will be collected and compared before and during the trial period on modes of travel to school, traffic flow and speeds, and air quality. The school community and local residents can also give their views on the scheme.
Who is paying for this?
South Lanarkshire are implementing 3 trial schemes with support from Sustrans and Scottish Government (Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets Scheme).
