Kirklees Together

We will be piloting a week-long, School Streets trial at Golcar Junior, Infant and Nursery School during Road Safety Week.

School Streets are a pioneering approach to promoting active travel to school. By closing roads to traffic at the start and end of the school day they tackle both road safety and air quality outside schools. This helps to reduce congestion at the school gates, making it easier and safer to walk or cycle to school, creating a more pleasant environment for everyone.

Golcar J, I&N school will pilot a time-limited closure (between 30 and 60 minutes) of Manor Road, Golcar, at the start and end of the school day, from Monday 20 November to Friday 25 November. Motor vehicles will not be permitted to enter or exit the area – although permit holders and authorised vehicles such as the emergency services, will still have access.

 A survey and consultation with residents, pupils and parents will take place to evaluate the success of this trial, which is the first of its kind in Kirklees. If it is successful, there is potential to extend the trial over a longer period before rolling it out to more schools across Kirklees.

Councillor Moses Crook, Cabinet Member for Housing and Highways said:

“This is an important trial that will provide us with valuable information to help improve air quality and understand how receptive parents and their children are to alternative, non-polluting forms of transport.

Early research indicates that School Streets can increase the number of children and young people walking, scootering, and cycling to school. They also improve air quality around the school entrance, reduce congestion, and help promote an active and healthy lifestyle.

We are keen to see the results from this initial trial before extending the trial over a longer period.”