What is this consultation about?
We are gathering your views on a proposal to introduce a School Street at St Thomas’s CofE Primary School in Heaton Chapel. The proposal aims to reduce general and school traffic outside the school by closing local roads for short periods at the start and end of each school day.
How does a School Street work?
A School Street seeks to make the streets around schools safer for pupils and parents to be able to walk to school rather than use their cars.
They temporarily close roads to non-essential vehicles around the entrance to schools for around 30-45 minutes at school start and finish time. Only pedestrians and non-motorised vehicles are permitted to access a zone while the restriction is in place, with exceptions made for emergency vehicles and vehicles of local residents with permits. This then frees up the road space to make it easier and safer for children and families to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
Why are these changes being proposed at St Thomas’s CofE Primary School?
The School itself has requested that Stockport Council introduce a School Street to encourage more active travel for the school journey and increase the level of daily activity for its pupils. It is also expected to reduce the number of cars around the entrances improving safety and air quality.
Stockport Council is committed to making Stockport’s roads safer for everyone living, working and visiting the borough and is working to create a cleaner environment that will reduce air pollution and improve the health and wellbeing of the community by encouraging more walking and cycling wherever possible.
Reducing the use of private car journeys to and from school should lead to:
What are the key benefits of a School Street?
A School Street supports the aims of school travel plans. Travel plans encourage pupils, staff and visitors travel to and from the school sustainbly by promoting active, healthy, safe and sustainable travel to school as an alternative to short, single occupancy car journeys.
Health benefits
Air quality
Road danger reduction
FAQs
Are any vehicles permitted access to a School Street zone?
The restriction does not prevent residents and their visitors leaving the street during the times of operation, as only access into the zone is restricted for the purpose of keeping the area free of traffic for children’s health and safety.
Can school staff still access private parking on school premises?
Access during the times of the prohibition will be permitted for staff in the instance a school has off street private parking provided exclusively for staff.
However, we strongly encourage staff arrive and leave school premises outside of the times of the prohibition, to keep the road clear of vehicular traffic for the safety of children.
Why your views matter
We have developed proposals for both sites – Infant and Junior – at St Thomas’s CofE of Primary School and are asking for your opinion to help us make the right decision for this school
Our Proposal
The proposed times of road closure are (To Be Confirmed):
08.30 to 09.15am
And
2.45 to 3.45pm
The map below shows the roads proposed to be closed:
Infant School
Junior School
Additionally, it is proposed that residents of the Heaton Manor estate are only able to turn left onto Buckingham Road during the times of road closure.
How the School Street Will Work
Each closure point (as shown on the maps) will be staffed by volunteers who will shut the entrances using cones and signing, and then marshal access via the use of the permits, Blue Badges or other ID, eg NHS Staff pass. However, we would ask for everyone to kindly try to avoid the need to drive within the School Street during its periods of operation, if at all possible, to ensure safety of the pupils and parents using this street to get to school.
A permit system will be in use and all eligible residents and businesses will be provided with these free of charge before the scheme starts.
Stockport Council will be hosting a drop-in session for the consultation at the Juniors School Site. This is an opportunity to discuss the scheme with Council Officers directly, and provide feedback and suggestioons.
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