A School Street is a road, or section of road, that becomes closed to vehicular traffic during school drop-off and pick-up times, and where a pedestrian and cycle only zone is created in front of the school. Motorised vehicles are not permitted to enter or leave the zone during the School Street operating times, unless they have been granted an exemption.
Residents and businesses within the zone, as well as special groups (like blue badge holders and emergency vehicles) can be granted an exemption.
Is it a car-free-zone?
A School Street is not a ‘car-free-zone’, as it does not ban driving to school; rather it enables parents to either use Active Travel for their school run or, failing that, park their vehicle away from the school gate and walk the final section of their journey. The restriction applies to both school traffic and through traffic.
The aim of a School Street is to enable walking and active travel to school by creating a safer, healthier and more pleasant environment with less traffic congestion.
The introduction of School Streets
School Streets are part of a borough-wide collection of measures being introduced to tackle road safety concerns and congestion around schools. They will also help to enable active travel (by increasing confidence to walk, scoot or cycle to school).
- Oldham Safe and Active Schools Assessment - Download
School Streets pilot
Operating hours
These will vary according to the school start and end times. Times will be agreed in consultation with each school that we are working with.
They generally operate for between 30 and 60 minutes during morning and afternoon school drop-off and pick-up times.
School Streets do not operate during school holidays or at weekends.
Pilot sites
Permanent sites
- View map of St Anne's C of E Aided Primary School Street (Ormerod Avenue, OL2 5DH) - PDF
- View map of Buckstones Primary School Street (Delamere Avenue, OL2 8HN) - PDF
Requesting a School Street
If your school is interested in a School Street, we would love to hear from you.
Each school’s situation is different, don’t worry if you don’t have all this information at this stage.
A School Street requires a commitment from the school to support the scheme (and be involved in a good standard travel plan) and therefore we would need the request to come from the school with approval from the Headteacher.
Requesting a School Street by a school does not automatically mean the council can implement a School Street.
Each location is unique and depends on the council successfully bidding for funding.
Consulting with residents and local businesses
School Streets are implemented on a trial basis using an Experimental Traffic Order to enable all aspects of the scheme to be considered, including comments from residents, local businesses and the school before a decision is made on whether to make the scheme permanent.
We will consult with residents living around any School Street scheme and school parents in advance of any trials being implemented.
The experimental traffic order will then allow the trial to go ahead, and amendments be made in line with the consultation which will continue to run throughout the trial period.
Exemptions
People walking, scooting, using wheelchairs, mobility scooters and cycles (including adapted cycles) are allowed to use the School Street.
All other motor vehicles are restricted during the operating times displayed on the signs, subject to some exemptions.
Though we encourage everyone to support the School Street, where they are able, the following motorised vehicles are automatically exempt:
- Emergency vehicles
- Council waste trucks
- Postal service vehicles
- Statutory undertakers (such as water, electricity, and gas companies) attending emergency works
- School buses
- Public transport
- Residents and businesses within the School Street area
- Blue badge holders (when their destination is within the School Street area)
- Carers and healthcare workers serving properties within the School Street area
Parking
During the operating times any vehicles are advised to travel at walking pace.
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 will be exempt from the restrictions but should still avoid parking on school keep clear (zigzag) markings.
Displacement of traffic
Through the introduction of a School Street, over time, the total volumes of traffic near to the school are expected to decrease during drop-off and pick-up times.
Car users
The objective of the School Street is to make the school run safer, healthier and more enjoyable for the whole community, as well as for children travelling to school; not to penalise parents.
For those who need to use the car to travel to school, they could park slightly further away and walk the last part of the journey.
Some parents may feel frustrated at first, but will, over time, find ways to adjust their daily routines.
Managing the scheme
A Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn up between the Council and the participating school, detailing the ongoing roles and responsibilities.
Legalities of the scheme
Local authorities can implement Traffic Regulation Orders or Experimental Traffic Orders to control traffic in their area. These are legal powers and can be temporary or permanent. Residents must be informed about proposals.
Street signs
School Street signs will be installed at the entry points of the restricted roads and advanced warning signs will be installed on some surrounding roads, informing people of the timed closure outside the school.