BRAMHOPE Primary School has joined other schools in Leeds to benefit from having a School Street.

School Streets make roads outside schools into pedestrian and cycle only zones at specific times. This helps to make the space outside school more pleasant for those who walk, cycle and wheel to school. They can also help to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution and keep them safe from traffic.

As part of the scheme Leeds City Council Road Safety trainers will deliver a range of interactive lessons throughout the year and there will be pedestrian and scooter training during the initial weeks.

Other Leeds schools joining the scheme this September are Blenheim Primary School and Birchfield Primary School. The three  join 12 other schools who have had School Streets since 2020.

Leeds City Council’s executive member for sustainable development and infrastructure, Councillor Helen Hayden, said: “I’m excited to see three more schools joining the School Streets initiative. It makes such a difference to local communities, both for encouraging road safety and sustainability. Nearly 30 per cent of all primary school children in Leeds are driven to school by car/van. The school run leads to congestion, pollution and road safety issues around schools and on the wider road network.

“This is a child friendly initiative, to make the journey to school safer and healthier for Leeds children and their families. School Streets are part of Leeds City Council’s ambition to make Leeds the best city for all children and young people to grow up in, be a city where you don't need a car, and to achieve Vision Zero by 2040 (by 2040 no one will be killed or suffer serious injuries on roads in Leeds).

“Engaging the next generation is really important to help us make Leeds a city where you don’t need to own a car and I look forward to seeing future successful roll outs.”

An evaluation of existing School Streets in Leeds found that walking and cycling increased by an average of six percentage points, and parents were less concerned about their children's exposure to harmful air pollution and road safety compared to before the School Streets were introduced.

The three new School Streets will use an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) for 18 months to make sure the schemes are working well, before a decision is made about whether they should be made permanent.

In Bramhope this means there will be restricted access on Breary Rise for vehicles from 8.30am to 9.15am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm.

It is recommended that parents, carers and pupils, walk, scoot or ride a bike to school. If you do need to drive, park at a location close by then walk the rest of the journey (known as park and stride).

There are some exemptions in place including for emergency service vehicles and blue badge holders. Residents living, and businesses located on the new School Street have been advised how to apply for an access permit if they need to drive on the street during these times.

Visit www.leeds.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/school-streets for more information.