Pilot scheme begins to restrict cars near Bedford primary school

L: Castle & Newnham councillors Lucy Bywater and Paul Edmonds and R: the School Street sign

A pilot scheme has started to restrict cars from roads around a primary school in Bedford.

The School Street pilot around Castle Newnham primary is the fourth for the town, and means during drop off and pick up times during the school term – 8.15am to 9am and 3pm to 3.45pm – motor vehicles will not be allowed in York Street between Rosamond Road and Denmark Street.

Kat Edwards, Castle Newnham primary headteacher said: “As a school in the heart of our community, we have always been proud of the number of children who already walk, scoot and cycle to school. The new School Street now makes it safer and more pleasant for both children and their parents on the journey to school, so we hope this encourages even more families to travel to school actively where possible.”

School Streets is an initiative to create safer streets near schools by helping to reduce traffic and dangerous parking and improve local air quality.

Volunteer marshals at each end of the road, coordinated by Castle & Newnham councillor Lucy Bywater (Green Party), include parents, residents and the chair of governors. Blue badges, emergency vehicles and parents of children with SEND will have vehicle access at all times, along with residents of that part of the street.

Parent Karen Knight said: “My son loves it as he can safely ride down the road. I feel far safer too.”

Green councillor Lucy Bywater, who initiated the School Street, said: ‘It’s been great working with the school and council to get this off the ground and we’ve had a lot of positive comments from parents and children saying what a difference it makes to them. What we need now are more volunteer marshals, so we’d love to hear from parents and locals willing to join the team, even just for the occasional session.”

Green councillor Paul Edmonds added: “A School Street is just one part of safer streets, along with 20mph limits – already brought in across this area – which should help encourage more families to walk and cycle to school. A great way to start and end the day and so much better for our environment”