Birmingham City Council bans cars from 5 more schools

Seventeen Birmingham schools are joining the Car Free School Street scheme from Easter.

The initiative is aimed at enabling children to commute to and from school more safely as drivers are prevented from using certain streets around schools.

Motorists who breach the rules by driving on a Car Free School Street during certain times face a fixed penalty £50 charge.

Permits are issued to residents whose access is affected by the road closures, whilst Blue badge holders, emergency services and health visitors are exempt.

The order restricts car traffic at each of the 17 sites at the beginning and end of the school day. It lasts for 18 months, following which it can be made permanent, amended or removed.

The initiative comes after analysis of Department for Transport figures by insurance company Churchill reveals that 300 children were hit by a vehicle in Birmingham between 2017 and 2020.

Among the 84 children seriously injured after being knocked down during that period was one youngster who lost their life.

Feedback to the Birmingham City Council scheme has been positive as five more schools prepare to join the project, which is already used by a dozen.

What are the latest schools that are joining the Car Free School Street scheme?

The five schools preparing to join the scheme are

Brownmead Academy (Shard End);

Colmore Junior and Infant School (Kings Heath);

Court Farm Primary School (Perry Common);

St Dunstan’s Catholic School (Brandwood and Kings Heath);

Nansen Primary School (Alum Rock)

What are the 12 schools that are already in the Car Free School Street scheme?

The 12 schools already in the Car Free School Street schemes are

Alston Primary, Heartlands;

Anderton Park Primary (Moseley);

Chilcote Primary (Hall Green South);

Cofton Primary (Longbridge and West Heath);

Featherstone Primary (Stockland Green);

Hillstone Primary (Shard End);

Holy Cross Catholic Primary (Sutton Walmley and Minworth);

Nelson Primary (Ladywood);

St Francis CE Primary (Bournville and Cotteridge);

Somerville Primary (Small Heath);

Woodthorpe Junior and Infant (Brandwood and Kings Heath);

Wyndcliffe Primary (Bordesley Green).

What has the feedback to the scheme from residents and parents been like?

Birmingham City Council said that 80% of residents asked about established schemes said they wanted it to continue on their road.

The project is also designed to cut down on pollution by encouraging walking and cycling to school and the use of public transport.

Colmore Junior and Infant School in Kings Heath is one of five more schools who will operate the scheme from Easter having recently trialled an ‘active street day’ closure of Colmore Road in preparation in partnership with The Active Wellbeing Society.

A section of Colmore Road was closed from 1pm to 4.15pm to help engage parents, residents and the school ahead of its long-term closure at peak school times.

In a newsletter, the school – of which Labour’s Yardley MP Jess Phillips is a former pupil - expressed its excitement at the scheme, saying: “We involved the children in activities related to the Safer Streets (Car Free School Street) initiative, with Colmore Road being closed during the afternoon.

“The children enjoyed lots of fun activities and they said it felt weird to play on a road!”

What else has been said about the Car Free School Street scheme?

Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for transport and environment, said: “The continued expansion of car-free school streets across Birmingham is particularly beneficial to children.

“I wholeheartedly support this development because it provides both immediate physical protection from motorised vehicles while also contributing to reducing pollution. I am delighted to see Car Free School Streets gaining momentum throughout the city.”

Road Safety GB is a big supporter of the initiative and wants to see more schools getting involved.

Car Free School Streets is a part of the Modeshift STARS scheme which provides a range of initiatives to support safer, greener and healthier educational and workplace travel.

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