Committee agrees extension of enforcement powers around School Streets
Motorists failing to comply with the School Street restrictions at five more Wirral primaries may be issued with fixed penalty notices in order to help make the journey to and from school safer for children.
At its meeting on December 2nd, members of the Environment, Climate Emergency and Transport agreed to the recommendation to extend Moving Traffic Enforcement Powers to five School Street sites at Raeburn, Liscard, Christ Church CE, St Albans and St George’s primary schools.
These powers include the use of Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera technology, which has already been trialled and is currently in operation around the site of Wirral’s first School Street scheme at Greenleas Primary School, Wallasey.
Members of the committee noted the feedback from residents during the public consultation undertaken as part of the process of introducing these new powers and agreed that effective enforcement is an important part of managing traffic at School Street sites.
Many residents get in touch with concerns about traffic and cars speeding around schools at drop-off and pick-up times. The development of the School Streets programme in Wirral has proved effective as a response to those concerns, particularly with raising awareness of road safety and the advantages of walking, wheeling or cycling to school as an alternative to the car.
Enforcement of the regulations had only been possible by the police up until we adopted the Moving Traffic Enforcement Powers around Greenleas Primary School. We now look forward to using the same powers and technology around the five other school sites.
A School Street is a stretch of road outside a school that is temporarily closed to traffic during school drop-off and pick-up times.
This limits traffic in the road outside the school at key times and creates a mainly car free zone and encourages walking and wheeling on the journey to and from school.
The School Street is usually in operation at the start and end of the school day during the school term. Signs at each site display the restricted times. Only pedestrians, cyclists or motorists with an exemption should access the School Street during these times.
ANPR cameras monitor and check the number plates of vehicles that drive into the School Street during the hours of operation – if a vehicle has not been registered for an exemption, the registered keeper may receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).
