Community-led School Street trial to begin in Chorlton

A week-long trial will see School Streets introduced at three primary schools in Chorlton, Manchester. 

A School Street is where the road outside of a school is closed to through traffic during drop off and pick up time.

From today until June 17, three School Streets will be trialled at Barlow Hall Primary, Oswald Road and Brookburn Primary Schools

It is hoped that this will enable and encourage hundreds of pupils to walk or cycle to school more easily.

The trials have been led by a network of local parents and teachers, facilitated by the Our Streets Chorlton project and supported by Manchester City Council.

It is hoped these trial measures might become regular and even permanent, especially given Greater Manchester Combined Authority recently announced £500,000 to support 50 School Streets across the region.

Layla Seibert, one of the networks School Champions from Our Streets Chorlton said: ‘The coming together of parents, residents, Parent Teacher Associations and school staff from a number of schools has been instrumental in building the momentum to take real steps to improve air quality and reduce car use across our community.

‘The benefits are so clear and the need is so great – we really hope that Manchester City Council can further enable permanent School Streets here and across the city.’

Pauline Johnston, a project coordinator for Our Streets Chorlton added: ‘This week of community action is a great example of what can happen when people and organisations come together with a shared goal.

‘There is a huge appetite for School Streets here in Chorlton and elsewhere in Manchester so hopefully what is happening here will build momentum and can also be used to help other communities, as the benefits where they already exist are clear and profound.

‘Cleaner air outside our schools and more active journeys, improving both children and parents wellbeing, in the long run, is an important part of the city’s shared goal to reduce carbon emissions and cut short car journeys and we’re delighted to be supporting that and sharing what we learn.’

For more information, please visit https://ourstreetschorlton.co.uk

Photo by Sue Zeng