Westdene Primary – getting a taste for School Streets
Another city primary will get to sample the benefits of our School Streets programme this week.
Westdene Primary will be taking part in a School Streets taster day on Thursday 27 May.
Barn Rise will be closed between its junctions with Bankside and Dene Vale, where the main entrance to the school is located, giving children the space, freedom and safety to walk, cycle or scoot their way into the school gate. Residents will still be able to access their property, as well as emergency services and Blue Badge holders.
More information on the Westdene School Streets Taster Day, including information on the road restrictions, can be found on our School Streets page.
What will be different for Thursday’s taster day is that access to the road will be restricted for the entirety of the school day (between 8am and 4pm), with children taking part in a series of activities throughout the morning and afternoon, including:
• Bike Safety
• Eco/air pollution activity
• Eco Street
• Active travel pledges
The day will be an opportunity to gather the views of parents, carers, school staff and local residents and we will also be monitoring the impact on the local area.
Councillor Jamie Lloyd, Deputy Chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee and councillor for Withdean ward said: “I’m so pleased another primary school will get to trial a safer journey into school free of motor vehicles. Westdene has been in urgent need of a road closure at drop off and pick up for a long time.
"As ward councillors, we have been working on how we can make this happen since our election in May 2019 so we are thrilled to see the first steps towards it.
“I have seen first-hand how brilliant School Streets is, it makes the roads outside schools much safer, the air cleaner and children and parents happier. All children should have the right to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school safely and this is an excellent way of delivering this.
“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from the school communities where School Streets are in place and we’re hopeful that Westdene will be getting School Streets on a permanent basis.”
What are school streets?
School Streets support the safe movement of children to and from school by creating streets that allow for more walking, cycling or scooting.
They reduce congestion around the school gates, improve air quality and encourage active and sustainable travel around the school.
In September 2020, as part of measures to support a safe return to the classroom during the Covid-19 pandemic, School Streets was trialled at nine schools.
Currently, four schools, Brunswick Primary, St Luke’s Primary, Downs Infant, Downs Junior, St Nicolas CE Primary are all running the schemes.
