County council highways leader reveals Harrogate's first School Streets scheme to limit traffic and protect pupils

Designed to transform busy roads outside schools so that pedestrians and cyclists can use them safely at school start and finish times, the announcement by Coun Keane Duncan, the county council’s executive member for highways and transport, follows yesterday’s meeting of the Harrogate Road Safety Group Meeting triggered by worried residents in Pannal Ash and Oatlands areas.

Speaking after the meeting St Aidan’s High School attended by school leaders, local councillors, campaigners and the county council, Coun Keane said: “We are working closely with all Pannal Ash and Oatlands area schools, local councillors and residents to make improvements in these busy areas.

“The county council has agreed to a comprehensive package of highway improvements to be delivered in the immediate term, including new crossing points, vehicle activated signs and Harrogate’s first School Streets pilot at Oatlands Junior School.

“We are continuing to work on further measures to be delivered in the longer term, including consideration of requests for new 20mph zones.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in this unified effort to make travelling to school safer, healthier and happier.”

Schools Streets schemes typically involve measures to tackle air pollution, poor health and road danger reduction outside schools.

The schemes also involve typically temporary restrictions on traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times.

The restriction applies to school traffic and through traffic.

Local residents have been campaigning for the introduction of a new 20mph speed limit near schools after recent road accidents in Harrogate involving pupils.

Among the councils in England which have already adopted School Streets schemes is Gloucestershire County Council where roads at two schools were closed to traffic during drop-off and pick-up times.