New school year, new School Street

Children at a city primary are enjoying a safer and nicer start to the school day thanks to the introduction of Brighton & Hove’s newest School Street.

Since the start of the new school year, St Andrew’s Church of England primary school in Hove has joined 15 other schools in the city to have a road free from traffic during school pick-up and drop-off times.

It means children, parents, carers and school staff are able to walk, cycle or scoot without having to worry about vehicles on Haddington Street.

Sophie Thomas, headteacher of St Andrew’s, said: “We are delighted to be part of this scheme to close the streets surrounding our school to ensure that children and families can experience a calmer, quieter start to the school day and the staff here have seen this have such a positive effect on the children especially the younger ones.

“The children have said how much safer they feel walking, scooting and cycling to and from school and it has encouraged even more of our pupils to ditch the car and go for a healthier start and finish to the school day.”

Keeping our children safe

Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport and City Infrastructure, said: “It’s great to have St Andrew’s join the School Streets scheme and to hear it’s been working so well for them since the start of term.

“School Streets make it safer for children, their families and the rest of the school community to get to and from the school gates.  It also encourages young people to walk, cycle and scoot more, which is great for physical and mental health and wellbeing.

Picture: St Andrew's School, Hove

More about School Streets

School Streets schemes are designed to make it safer for children to go to and from school by restricting access to motor vehicles for around an hour at the start and end of the school day.

It makes the area around the school safer and allows more space for children and their families and carers to make the journey by more active and sustainable modes of travel, like walking or cycling.

School Streets have the added benefit of reducing congestion, unsafe parking and improving air quality outside the school.

Residents can still access their homes and there are exemptions for people with Blue Badges as well as delivery drivers, carers and emergency services.

Read more about School Streets in Brighton & Hove.

Moving Traffic Enforcement powers

Earlier this year, we held a public consultation on our plan to apply to the Department for Transport (DfT) for Moving Traffic Enforcement powers, which would help us to better enforce our School Streets locations.

The feedback from the consultation showed that more than two thirds of the 558 people and groups who responded were supportive of the idea.

We’ve since submitted our application to the DfT and are hoping to hear more in the new year.