A School Street scheme closes the road outside a school to motor vehicles for up to an hour during the school’s opening and closing times. This creates a pedestrian and cycle/scoot zone, which offers numerous benefits:
safer journeys to school
cleaner environment at the school gates
encouragement of active travel
improvement in physical and mental health
promotion of good travel habits from a young age
Applications are open for new School Streets. Schools can get in touch with the School Streets team to discuss their situation.
Encouraging children to walk, wheel or cycle to school is good for their physical and mental health. Getting into healthy routines from a young age can have an impact for life.
School run traffic accounts for a quarter of the traffic on the road, reducing the cars for school runs benefits everyone’s journeys.
More road collisions resulting in child fatalities occur during the school run times than at other times of the day. Improving the safety of our young people by reducing traffic reduces these risks.
Children who have active journeys to school arrive more awake and ready to learn. This helps them get more from their school day.
Removing pollution from directly outside school gates benefits young people’s lungs and health as they grow and develop.
Creating a space to walk and talk outside the school builds social interactions and strengthens communities.
Walking to school helps children connect to their local area and gives them the skills to travel independently to school at a younger age.
School street operates from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm in term time.
Located on School Lane, Alconbury
School street operates from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm in term time.
Located on Hatton’s Park, Longstanton
School street operates from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm in term time.
Located on Lower Park Street, Cambridge
School street operates from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm in term time.
Located on Norfolk Street, Cambridge
School street operates from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.45pm to 3.45pm in term time.
Located on Vinery Way and Vinery Road, Cambridge
School street operates from 8.30am to 9.30am and 2.45pm to 3.30pm in term time.
Located on Thodays Close, Willingham
Exemptions
The following people are eligible for an exemption and can enter and leave the new School Street:
residents and business owners located on the restricted streets
pupils, parents and carers who are Blue Badge holders
carers of vulnerable residents who live on the restricted street
Additionally, blanket exemptions apply for:
emergency services
local authority school buses
utility providers attending emergencies
bin lorries
postal and courier services
Vehicles belonging to the following do not qualify for an exemption.
residents living outside of a School Streets zone
parents/carers dropping off/collecting children at the school
school staff
friends
tradespeople
delivery vehicles
We understand that timeslots are out of your control. We advise you to arrange appointments outside the operation times where possible. During School Streets times drivers will be asked to find a place to park and walk to their destination.
They cannot enter the street during the School Streets operational times.
We will consider granting special exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Please see below for acceptable reasons to apply for exemption to a School Streets zone.
You, or a dependant, are a Blue Badge holder who needs vehicle access. This must be to a property in a School Street zone, including the school.
You are a carer who needs vehicle access to a property in a School Street zone.
FAQs
School Streets help to give families the opportunity to travel to school safely and actively. Removing vehicles also creates a healthier and more pleasant environment for residents and the whole school community.
creating a safer, more pleasant environment for families arriving at school
tackling congestion and reducing risk from motorised vehicles
encouraging active travel to and from school
improving air quality in the immediate area outside of the school
encouraging a long-lasting mode shift away from the car
The closure timings differ for each school. The timings are all displayed on signs at the closure points. Timings are for 30 minutes to 1 hour at the start and end of the school day. More information is available for individual school streets timings higher up the page.
Volunteer marshals will erect barriers and signs at each closure point. They will arrange safe access for exempted vehicles.
All vehicles parked in a School Street zone before the time of operation will be able to leave. Please discuss with a marshal to ensure this is done safely.
Yes, timetabled buses will have access. They will be supervised by the volunteer marshals.
We encourage you to ask any visitors to arrive outside of the times of the closure. During the closure visitors will need to park outside of the walking and cycling zone.
We recognise the need for disabled parents and guardians to have ease of access. Please notify a volunteer so they can assist.
We acknowledge that there may be a bit more time involved in making your journey to school. An active start to the day improves mood, concentration and health of young people. Creating these habits in their early years encourages lifelong active journeys. There are lots of travel options that may make your journeys easier.
Take a look at our Active Travel and Road Safety pages for ideas such as walking buses and journey sharing with neighbours. Investing time now can enable your child to travel independently to school in the future, gaining you time back then.
In any emergencies, vehicles will be able to leave or access the closure. They will be assisted by the volunteers.
Please consider alternative delivery times. As deliveries are not considered an essential service, they may not have access. They will need to wait until the end of the half hour closure period or to park outside the zone.
Yes. Road closures will be in place throughout during school term time.
Volunteer marshals are usually part of the school community. They will operate the road closures in line with training provided by Cambridgeshire County Council.
The School Street will start with an 18-month experimental traffic order. This trial period will give the opportunity to see how the scheme works. If successful, the scheme will become permanent before the end of the 18-month order.
Yes, school buses and taxis will have access. Where possible they will arrive and leave outside of the closure times.
Resources for volunteers
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers, School Streets couldn’t function without you. To help you in your role we have created the volunteer handbook. If you have any concerns, please reach out to the School Streets team.
Schools have a key role to play in delivering information about safe and healthy ways to travel to school. The following resources may help you spread that message and contribute to the reduction of school run congestion.
