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About School Streets
A School Street is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic and parking at peak school drop-off and pick-up times. The restriction applies to school traffic and through traffic, but there can be exemptions for residents of the street, blue badge holders and for other essential purposes.
A temporary barrier is put in place to restrict the movement of traffic on the road during these times.
Other local authorities across the country have already successfully implemented School Streets.
New School Streets will be considered based on a range of factors. These include support from the school, residents, evidence of need, suitability of local streets and resources. Dorset Council will invite applications from schools based on an initial assessment of whether this would be a suitable approach.
More information on School Streets can be found on the Sustrans website.
Benefits of School Streets
The benefits of School Streets are:
- to avoid danger to persons or other traffic using the roads, or any other road, and to prevent the likelihood of any such danger arising
- to provide a safer environment for parents and children
- to help reduce the amount of pollution that school children are exposed to outside schools
- to result in a safer, healthier and pleasant environment for everyone
Share your views on School Streets
Our School Streets pilot schemes are subject to a formal public consultation and implementation process. Parents, carers, residents, businesses and schools are now able to have their say about School Streets. All views will be taken into consideration before any changes are made permanent.
We are currently piloting School Streets in three schools in Dorset. Please let us know what you think.
Upton Junior School, Upton
The experimental order was made permanent on 31 January 2024. It prohibits motor vehicles from St Martins Road, between 8:15am until 9:30am and 2.30pm until 3.30pm on every school day.
There are exceptions to this.
St Osmund's School, Barnes Way, Dorchester
The experimental order was made permanent on 6 September 2024. It will prohibit motor vehicles from Barnes Way, between 8:15am until 9:5am and 2:45pm until 3:45pm on every school day.
There are exceptions to this. Please see here for further details of this School Street.
We would welcome your views on this experimental order. Please let us know what you think.
Chickerell Primary Academy, Chickerell
The experimental order came into effect on 5 June 2023. It will prohibit motor vehicles from Fairfield Road and Rashley Road, between 8:15am until 9:00am and 2.45pm until 3.30pm on every school day.
There are exceptions to this. Please see here for further details of this School Street.
We would welcome your views on this experimental order. Please let us know what you think.
For more information, please email schoolstreets@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk