Jersey school trials street closure to improve pupil safety

  • ITV's Katya Fowler reports

St Luke's Primary School in Jersey is currently trialing shutting a street to improve pupil safety and encourage more children to walk and cycle in.

Elizabeth Street will be closed to traffic during peak school times when parents are picking up and dropping off their children.

The trial started today and the road will be shut on weekdays between 7:30am and 9:30am and again between 2:30pm and 4:30pm.

The pilot scheme will run for one month. Credit: ITV Channel TV

Headteacher Adam Turner says: "previously we had a lollipop man and the amount of times that he was nearly hit by a car was just really worrying.

"So today, seeing them over spilling onto the road, without any worries, being able to run up and down the road waiting to get in was joyful."

Deputy Steve Ahier, the island's Assistant Infrastructure Minister said: "Elizabeth Street by St Luke’s School is the first to test out the scheme.

"During drop-off and pick-up time, the street will become a pedestrian and cycle only zone, with no motor vehicles allowed to drive through, unless they have been granted an exemption."

The scheme has been welcomed by parents and carers on the first morning.

In Guernsey, a similar scheme was launched in March for St Martin's primary school after concerns were raised by pupils.

Route Des Coutures was closed to traffic at school drop off and pick up times to make it safer for children to go into and come out of school.

School Street schemes are commonly used in the UK and in other parts of the world to keep schoolchildren safe.

Islanders in Jersey will be able to give feedback on the new measures in a survey this week.