Schools across Greater Manchester have been invited to join a new 'school street' scheme. 

A school street would restrict traffic on the road(s) outside the school around pick-up and drop-off times, with the aim of encouraging more to cycle or walk to school. 

Dame Sarah Storey (Active Travel Commissioner) and Andy Burnham (Mayor of Greater Manchester) have sent out a letter to all schools in Greater Manchester, inviting them to introduce one of 70 new proposed school streets. 

The schools will decide whether or not they register themselves. The Mayor said this wasn't about 'imposing' schemes; "we just want to help facilitate new schemes where there is a wish from the community to have one", he said. 

Currently, there are 30 school streets across Greater Manchester.

School streets are designed to make travelling to school safer for children, by reducing the number of cars - and by extension pollution - on the nearby roads (Image - St Thomas' CE Primary)

They are mostly staffed by volunteers and parents. Although there is no 'one-size-fits-all' model for each school street, generally they include a traffic regulation order which makes the road outside the school a pedestrian zone during drop off and pick up times. 

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) figures have suggested that around one third of all traffic in the city region each morning is from the school run. 

TfGM also found that only 50% of Greater Manchester residents say it is safe for children to walk to school, and only 42% think it's safe for those who cycle.

The 70 new school streets will bring the total in Greater Manchester to 100 such streets. 

The new rollout will be funded by a £1.3m grant to local authorities from TfGM. 

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester (Image - TfGM)

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner, said: "Safety and convenience are two of the main barriers to people choosing to walk, wheel or cycle to school and interventions like school streets are a good starting point for improving the whole journey for those travelling to school and onward about their day.

"It's important we reach as many schools as possible to share the benefits of the school streets programme which is why we have written this letter and are encouraging schools to register their interest. [...]

"Generating a focus on school travel is important so that whole journeys can be catered for, and people given a genuine choice and alternative to having to use their car for the school drop off and pick up."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham visits a school street in Trafford (Image - TfGM)

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said: "I invite school communities, including parents, to get in touch if they are interested in launching a new school street in their area. [...]

"At Seymour Park Community Primary School [a school street in Trafford], I saw the positive impact a school street can have on children, parents and the wider community, providing a safe and pleasant space for children to walk, wheel, cycle and even scoot right up to the school gate.

 "We know that some parents and children don't always feel safe walking to school, and we are working to change that. School streets are a great first step for everyone and that's why we will helping schools to deliver more in the coming years."

If you're involved with a local school and would like to register your interest in joining the school street scheme, you can do so HERE.

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