Traffic ban outside two Bristol schools to be made permanent

Bristol City Council/ Bristol Design
Wansdyke Primary School in Bristol was one of the first schools to pilot the Schools Streets scheme. Credit: Bristol City Council / Bristol Design

A traffic ban in place for two hours a day outside two Bristol primary schools is to be made permanent.

Wansdyke Primary School in Hartcliffe and St Peter's C of E Primary School in Bishopsworth were the first in the city to launch 'School Streets'.

The scheme bans cars outside the schools during drop-off and pick-up times in a bid to improve air quality.

Since then, other schools have also launched 'School Streets' including Victoria Park Primary School in Bedminster and Redfield Educate Together Primary Academy in Redfield.

Bristol City Council has now launched a consultation on the scheme at Wansdyke Primary School and St Peter's C of E Primary School, which states 'School Streets' became permanent last month.

It said: "A School Street is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times.

"School Street schemes offer a proactive solution for school communities to tackle road danger, poor health and air pollution. The result is a safer, healthier and more pleasant environment for everyone.

"Bristol City Council introduced a pilot School Streets scheme at Wansdyke Primary School on February 24, 2020 and, following a formal consultation period, the scheme will become permanent by means of a Traffic Regulation Order on March 14, 2022.

St Peter's C of E Primary School in Bishopsworth was one of the first to take part. Credit: Google

"To help us evaluate the success of the scheme and identify ways in which it can be improved, we are seeking your feedback on how you think it has been working, your level of awareness and understanding of the scheme, perceptions on compliance and safety, and the impact on your daily life."

A similar consultation has been launched for St Peter's C of E Primary School, with both of them closing this Friday (April 8).

Follow up surveys are also being done at present for the School Streets scheme at Redfield Educate Together Primary Academy and Victoria Park Primary School, with both of them closing next Wednesday (April 13).

In the past couple of years, vehicles have been banned outside several schools in the city at peak times as part of the council's 'School Streets' scheme, which aims to improve road safety and air quality across Bristol. 

At the end of last year, the council launched a consultation to ban cars outside Chester Park Junior School in Speedwell for up to two hours a day, and also at Minerva Primary Academy in Hillfields, and Whitehall Primary School in Easton.

This came after a mum called for cars to be banned outside Whitehall Primary School as she said drop-off and pick-up times at the school were "hectic and a mess".

The School Streets programme is a road safety initiative that aims to make roads in school communities safer for everyone, said the council in a statement.

The scheme turns these streets into priority zones for people to walk and cycle and restricts car use at the start and end of the school day.