Four East Dunbartonshire schools will now permanently be Traffic-Free Schools following the implementation of a successful pilot scheme that aimed to increase child and pedestrian safety.
Councillors agreed to make the Traffic-Free Schools initiative permanent at Clober Primary School in Milngavie, Craighead Primary School in Milton of Campsie and the shared St Matthew’s and Wester Cleddens Primary School campus in Bishopbriggs after hearing about the impact the pilot scheme has had on improving road safety and the surrounding environment outside the schools.
Traffic-Free Schools is an initiative where driving is prohibited on sections of road immediately outside the entrance to schools, for a short period of time at the start and end of the school day.
It aims to help improve safety by reducing the volume of vehicles parked and moving around at the busiest areas for children and adults accessing the school.
The pilot scheme which began in November 2023 prohibited driving at selected roads - adjacent to the schools between 8.30 and 9.15am and 2.30 and 3.15pm on Monday to Friday during term time via an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO).
Detailed monitoring was carried out throughout the project through traffic counts, parking surveys and question and answer surveys with parents, carers, school staff and local residents.
And the monitoring revealed that the volume of vehicle traffic significantly reduced at all three locations in the morning and afternoon, with reductions of up to 76% counted at Clober Primary School in the morning.
The number of parents and carers stopping and parking directly outside the school entrances also saw a large decrease, with reductions of up to 78% and 79% recorded in the morning at Craighead Primary School and at the shared restricted zone at St. Matthew’s Primary School and Wester Cleddens Primary School respectively.
Councillor Pamela Marshall, Vice Convener of the Council's Place, Neighbourhood and Corporate Assets Committee, was delighted Councillors agreed to make the ETRO into a permanent Traffic Regulation Order.
Councillor Marshall said,
The Council is committed to improving road safety and the surrounding environment outside schools for pupils, carers and neighbouring residents and the Traffic-Free Schools project has transformed the journeys to school for so many of our pupils.
“The project has helped make it more attractive for walking, wheeling and cycling thereby encouraging more journeys to be made in this way.
“As well as creating a calmer environment at the school gate and making roads safer, it has also helped to reduce the pollution that would previously have been breathed in by our young people on the way to school.
“The pilot was well-supported by parents, carers and local residents with three-quarters of those who responded to our survey supporting the pilot restrictions being made permanent.
“A fifth of all parents and carers also said they had changed their main mode of travel, with 66% of this group saying they walk more to and from school, with 45% using the car less since the project has been in place, which is very positive news.
“Council officers will now begin work to select three additional schools to participate in Phase 2 of the project which will be brought back to the Place Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee for consideration.”
Since the project has been in place, a higher proportion of parents/carers, school staff and local residents felt that the roads around the schools were safe or very safe, and were a good environment for active travel, with traffic levels which were about right, while also being less likely to have concerns about traffic speeds, air quality and noise levels around the schools.
Catriona Marshall, Head Teacher at Clober Primary School, is pleased with the results of the project.
She said, “There are obvious health and mental wellbeing benefits for children who walk, cycle or scoot to school, but the scheme has also created a safer environment for the children around the school as the volume of vehicle traffic has significantly reduced.
“Many parents and pupils have told me how much of a difference the lack of traffic around the school has made. The journey to and from school is now more pleasant for everyone.”
Access will be maintained at all times for permit holders (including residents and local businesses), blue-badge holders and permitted vehicles including:
- Emergency workers, health visitors and carers
- School buses and contract taxis
- Postal and delivery vehicles
- Utility company vehicles serving properties in the area
- Council vehicles such as bin lorries
- Vehicles to be used in connection with wedding and funeral operations.
Anyone violating these restrictions will be committing an offence and eligible for a £50 fixed fine from Police Scotland, who will be responsible for enforcing the scheme.
Existing parking restrictions remain unaffected while residents and local businesses automatically received one vehicle permit per property with the option to apply for more, free of charge.
Full details of the initiative – including a list of frequently asked questions – can be found on the Traffic-Free Schools webpage.
