Parents fear Brighton 'school streets' scheme has failed
Motorists have been spotted parking on zigzags to pick up and drop off pupils
A “school streets” scheme aimed at keeping children safe on the roads near their primary appears to have collapsed, according to a parent.
Mark Cooper photographed several people dropping off children on the zigzags outside Balfour Primary School, in Balfour Road, Brighton.
The school is one of at least 15 where Brighton and Hove City Council has used “experimental traffic orders” to bring in restrictions at the start and end of the school day.
The aim is to encourage more children to walk or cycle to school and reduce the number of cars on the school run.
The Balfour scheme started in July last year for an initial 18 months and is meant to close Balfour Road between Ditchling Road and Loder Road.
But it has not proved easy to find enough volunteers to operate the barriers used to enforce the scheme from 8.15am to 9.15am and 2.45pm to 3.45pm in term time.
Mr Cooper said: “Children are in daily danger because the Balfour school street scheme has sadly failed (as it) required volunteers to enforce it.
“(I) appreciate the failure should help the council get enforcement powers but hoping to see wardens or even police while we wait. Cars three abreast at the school crossing is typical, unfortunately.”
The council’s cabinet member for transport, parking and the public realm Trevor Muten said: “School streets are an important part of our efforts to improve air quality and reduce traffic near schools.
“Our trial schemes have benefited from fantastic volunteer support. Where we do not always have sufficient volunteers, it is not possible to use temporary barriers as part of the experimental schemes.
“This is the case at Balfour, where the school street is currently limited to signs informing road users of the restrictions in place at school drop off and pick up times.”
Councillor Muten added: “Recent guidance from the Department for Transport says CCTV (closed-circuit television) cameras are the most effective way to enforce restrictions.
“But this is not something the council currently has powers to do. For these schemes to be successful, therefore, we need the entire community to support our efforts.
“That means not only the volunteers but also parents and residents following the signs and thinking seriously about the impact on others of driving up to the school gate or along the road during these busy times.
“The experimental order is coming to an end and we will look at the data and feedback from residents before deciding our next steps.”
Green councillor Steve Davis, the leader of the opposition, said that the Balfour site was complicated because Varndean School is at the other end of the road.
Both he and fellow Green councillor Kerry Pickett have met the heads of the two schools to try to encourage more volunteers – but without success.
Councillor Davis has written to Councillor Muten asking for the formal restrictions to be kept in place until the government gives councils the power to enforce moving traffic violations.
The council started the school streets project at the request of Westdene Primary School parents in November 2019. It now covers at least 15 schools.