Parents hope streets around Sheffield school 'will be closed to traffic from September to keep pupils safe'

Carfield Primary School is trialling road closures this week at drop off and pick up times as part of the School Streets initiative.

Gleadless councillor Paul Turpin said he was delighted the school was taking part.

“Closing the streets around schools at drop-off and pick-up times makes perfect sense. It makes the roads safer, encourages walking, cycling and scooting, and reduces the children’s exposure to harmful pollution from cars.

“This one week trial will help us to learn exactly how the closure affects surrounding streets, in order to come up with the solutions to make the initiative work full time from September.”

Coun Alexi Dimond said there had been a really positive response from pupils and parents.

“Pollution from motor vehicles hinders cognitive development and creates long term health issues such as asthma.

“As a child, I suffered from severe asthma. We must do everything we can to provide a healthy and safe environment for children to thrive and flourish.

“The volunteer stewards were excellent and there was a real buzz about the place that something positive is being done about the anti-social and dangerous traffic.”

The Department of Transport says 14 per cent of children killed on roads in 2018 were between the morning school run of 7am to 9am and 23 per cent after school between 3pm and 5pm.