An initiative to make streets outside schools safer for children is set to extend with five new School Streets covering eight additional schools.

The School Streets programme, launched in partnership with Medway Council and local schools, involves temporary vehicle restrictions in designated streets, turning them into pedestrian and cycle-only zones during drop-off and pick-up times in the school term. Its aim is to create a safer environment, improve air quality and reduce congestion by reducing the number of vehicles outside schools.

Medway Council introduced the school travel initiative, which forms a key part of its Safer Healthier Streets programme, at seven schools across Medway in 2024: Burnt Oak Primary School, Greenvale Primary School, Miers Court Primary School, Phoenix Primary School, St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, St Peter’s Infant School and St Thomas More Catholic Primary School.

The scheme was introduced in Medway after the council secured £486k from the government’s Active Travel Fund.

Traffic restrictions don’t impact vehicles with an exemption or emergency services.

Static cameras are installed to monitor vehicles that enter the School Street zone without an exemption.

Five more roads will be added to the School Streets programme this year – four from Monday, 29 September and one from Monday, 3 November – following a public consultation in September and October last year.

These are:

From Monday, 29 September:

• Cliffe Woods Primary School, Cliffe Wood Pre-School and the City of Rochester School, View Road
• Fairview Primary School, Drewery Drive.
• St Margaret’s Church of England Junior School and St Margaret’s Infant School, Orchard Street.
• Hilltop Primary School, Hilltop Road.

From Monday, 3 November:

• High Halstow Primary Academy, Harrison Drive.

In addition to these sites, three other schemes remain under consideration while a fourth, St William of Perth Roman Catholic Primary School, will be implemented upon completion of some additional highway improvements.

Full information about the new School Streets, including operational times and maps, can be found on our website.

Cllr Alex Paterson, Medway Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, Highways and Enforcement, said: “I am delighted that Medway’s award-winning School Streets programme is coming to eight new schools this autumn, encouraging more active journeys where possible and making the roads around them safer, less polluted and generally calmer.

“This is positive news for these communities, but I want safer, healthier streets for all of Medway’s children. So, while our School Streets scheme allows us to insist on more considerate behaviour from drivers, able-bodied parents of pupils at schools which are not yet part of the programme can also play their part by parking away from entrances and completing journeys on foot.

“I expect all motorists, and particularly those driving near schools, to pay attention to road signs and hazards, however, we do accept that new restrictions like School Streets can take a bit of getting used to. That’s why for an initial six-month period first time offences will receive a Warning Notice. However, any subsequent breaches, or any which take place after the introductory period is over will result in a Penalty Charge Notice.”

To find out more about School Streets, visit: Medway.gov.uk/SchoolStreets.

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