School Streets in Brighton & Hove

Brighton & Hove is committed to delivering a city-wide School Streets programme to all eligible infant, primary and junior schools.

School Streets support the safe movement of children and families travelling to and from school by creating an environment that enables and encourages more walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting.

About School Streets 

School Streets schemes are designed to address issues on the roads around schools at drop off and pick up times, including congestion, illegal or unsafe parking and air quality issues immediately outside of school. 

This is achieved by restricting access to motor vehicles on the roads around schools for one hour at each end of the day, during drop off and pick up times.

This reduction in traffic provides a safer environment and more available road space, for children and their families to make the school journey by more sustainable and active modes of travel. 

School Streets are different from Play Streets, as some motor vehicle access is permitted on School Streets so that residents, Blue Badge holders, emergency services and others exempt from the restrictions, can access the road at all times.

All motor vehicles are not allowed to enter the street during enforcement hours unless exempt.

The entrances to School Streets are marked by signs that inform road users of the restrictions and enforcement hours.

School Streets are in force Monday to Friday from 8:15am to 9:15am and 2:45pm to 3:45pm, during school term time. They do not operate on weekends or any other school holidays.  

The timings of enforcement of all School Streets across the city are the same but the layout of School Streets may vary.

School streets may operate with:

• signs informing road users of the restrictions
• staffed gates
• bollards
• temporary barriers
• other traffic management devices in place which are managed by School Streets volunteers or school staff

School Streets restrictions are legally enforced through a Traffic Regulation Order. 

Road sign

Gate 

Bollard 

A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) may be issued to vehicles that illegally access a school street in contravention of road traffic regulations.

The level of the penalty will vary according to the type of contravention. Motor vehicle traffic that is exempt from School Streets enforcement is outlined in Who can and can not access the street section.  

Exemptions

You can use the street at all times if you're a:

• resident who lives on the street
• resident who lives on adjacent streets and needs to access the street due to lack of another way, for example:
  • dead ends
  • culs-de-sac
• medical, therapeutic or care visitor to residents on the street
• Blue Badge holder
• emergency service vehicle
• public transport
• employee or related activity of business or service operating within the closure
• contracted school transport vehicle - including taxi and for-hire vehicle with proof of transaction
• school staff accessing school-provided off-street parking facilities or street parking within the closure

Any motor vehicles that are permitted to enter a School Street should try and time their arrivals and departures outside of the enforcement period to limit potential conflicts with families and children that are arriving or leaving the school area.

Any exempted motor vehicles that must access the closure during enforcement hours should drive at walking speed (5mph) as there will be children on the road at these times.

Users who are not exempt

Users not allowed access during closure hours include:

• people living outside of the School Street closure (including residents of streets that are adjacent to the closed section but have access to an alternative route)
• parents or carers who are dropping off or collecting children during the school run
• school staff who are not accessing school-provided off-street parking or street parking within the closure
• employees or clients of businesses or services that are located outside of the closure on nearby or adjacent streets
• any other non-exempt motor vehicle activity that is not explicitly defined in the Exemptions section

Contact us to find out if you're exempt

If you're unsure if you meet the requirements for exemption, send an email to school.streets@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

The School Streets listed below are currently in operation. This list includes School Streets that have been implemented on an Experimental Traffic Order and remain in development.

More information about ongoing school street planning can be found in the school streets in development section.

All School Streets citywide operate from 8:15am to 9:15am and 2:45pm to 3:45pm.

Permanent School Streets

For more information on School Streets in the city send an email to school.streets@brighton-hove.gov.uk.

The schools listed below are currently in development.

This list includes schools that have been prioritised for implementation of a School Streets scheme in the current programme year and are in design and consultations, as well as those from previous years that are in operation on Emergency or Experimental Traffic Regulation orders and have yet to become permanent.

• Fairlight Primary School
• Saltdean Primary School
• St Pauls C of E Primary School

Visitors, tradespeople and deliveries to residents 

Medical and care visitors can access the street at all times, but it would be best if arrivals and departures could be scheduled outside of the enforcement hours. 

Visitors of residents living on the street, tradespeople, and delivery vehicles can access the road. However, residents are asked to try and avoid arranging deliveries or driving a motor vehicle on the street during the enforced closure hours to avoid conflicts with pupils and families during the school run. 

Vehicles that are already parked on the street

All parking restrictions will operate as normal on school streets during enforcement hours. Any vehicles that are legally parked can stay parked.

Vehicles already parked within a School Street closure before the enforcement hours begin can leave when they need to, without penalty. However, only exempt vehicles will be permitted to return to the closure area during enforcement hours. 

Vehicles that enter the closure before the enforcement period begins may not remain in the closure by parking in Keep Clear zones, by double parking, or through any other illegal means.

Any non-exempt vehicle that entered a school street closure prior to the enforcement period but cannot park safely and legally inside the closure must exit the closure and cannot return until the enforcement period has ended. Any vehicle that remains parked legally within the closure must also adhere to anti-idling regulations. 

You don't need to register your vehicle if you're exempt

We do not require vehicle registration for School Street access at this time. 

How to get a School Street at your school

All infant, junior and primary schools have been assessed for their eligibility for a School Streets closure based on criteria agreed upon by the Environment, Transport, and Sustainability Committee.

Each programme year, up to 6 schools will be prioritised for implementation of a school streets scheme in the order in which they have scored for prioritisation based on the established criteria.

Get involved

If you have feedback or concerns send an email to school.streets@brighton-hove.gov.uk. 

We'll publish information about public events, meetings or formal consultations related to new or existing school streets on this page, as well as the council Newsroom, on social media, and other outlets as needed.