School Street scheme

School Street schemes limit the amount of motor traffic in streets surrounding schools for a short time at the start and end of the school day as well as making it easier to walk, cycle or wheel to school.

School Streets aim to reduce congestion and improve air quality in and around school gates and make the streets outside schools safer at the start and end of the school day. These measures can also help to address traffic and parking pressures and problems people living close to a school can experience due to school gate parking.

Currently, we try to reduce the impact of inappropriate parking by enforcing waiting restrictions and ‘School-Keep-Clear’ markings. Feedback from residents and communities has highlighted that these traditional measures are not always effective and we are looking at new ways of addressing the issues.

Issues associated with school traffic are not unique to Coventry, and over the last few years, School Streets have been rolled out at various locations across the country as an innovative way to address issues associated with school traffic and parking.

In addition to having the potential to improve road safety outside schools, the schemes also offer other benefits including, reducing air pollution, congestion and encouraging people to walk, cycle or wheel more.

It is normally the area nearest to the school gates that sees the most problems with parking, and it is expected that this scheme will disperse cars over a wider area than at present. Also, by making it safer for people to walk, scoot or cycle to school there should be fewer people feeling that they must drive for this journey.

For those who need to rely on the car and must drive to the school, you can continue to do so, but will need to park slightly further away and walk the last part of the journey.

We ask everyone to park responsibly, safely and to be considerate to residents when parking in the surrounding streets. Please ensure you are not parked on the pavement, blocking, or parked on or over a driveway.

The School Street will make it easier for pupils, parents, and carers with limited mobility to access the school by reducing traffic outside the school gates. Those holding valid Blue Badges needing to access a property within the restricted area will be able to apply for an exemption permit. Please note that existing parking restrictions still apply and you should avoid parking on these restrictions.

The schemes are installed, subject to the support of residents, using an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), which can stay in place for a maximum of 18 months. During this time, we will monitor and assess the impact of these changes and any objections to decide whether the scheme should be permanent. If the scheme is successful and supported by local people, it could become a permanent scheme.