Three primary schools in South Leeds: Clapgate in Belle Isle, Ingram Road in Holbeck and Lane End in Beeston; are to trial part time road closures around the start and end of the school day.
The plans have been brought forward to assist with ‘social distancing’ as schools prepare to start reopening after 1 June. The three schools are part of a six school trial, but Leeds City Council is keen to quickly roll out the scheme to many more schools.
Roads around the schools will be closed to traffic at set times, typically up to one hour, in the morning and the afternoon. Exemptions will be made for residents who require access and for people attending school with medical needs.
The closures will have benefits beyond the Covid-19 outbreak. Parents and carers bringing their children to school by car, who currently make up to 30% of the total, typically attempt to park as close to the school gates as possible causing congestion, compromising the safety of pedestrians and reducing air quality, especially from idling engines. It is hoped the measures will encourage more families to walk, cycle or scoot to school.
The schools in the trial have been chosen because they have taken part in previous programmes such as temporary play streets and all have the active support of the headteacher.
The measures will be put in place by Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders which will run for 18 months, during which the schemes will be reviewed. Discussions are taking place between the Council and West Yorkshire Police regarding who will legally police the road closures, but Council officers and school staff will be on hand to explain the changes to motorists.
The cost of the six school pilot is £15,000. Click here to read the full report.
Clapgate Primary School: Cranmore Drive and part of Rylands Road will be closed Monday-Friday, 8:30-9:10am and 3-3:40pm.
Ingram Road Primary School: parts of Ingram Road, Rydall Place, Rydall Terrace, Rydall Street, Brown Lane East and Crosby Street plus Colenso Gardens will be closed Monday-Friday 8:10-9:50am and 2:10-3:50pm.
Lane End Primary School: Beeston Road from the junction with Hunslet Hall Road and Lane End Place will be closed Monday-Friday 8:25-9:50am and 1:40-3:50pm.
Photo: Lane End Primary School created a temporary play street in September 2019.
I welcome the introduction of the trial of School Streets on Beeston Road at Lane End Primary but I’ve been very clear with Highways Officers that if this causes parking displacement which impacts the residents on Moorville Close, Hunslet Hall Road, Northcote Drive or further up Beeston Road, I will require the trial to be stopped until protective measures are put in place. I will be monitoring this very closely.
if the antivirus is available then my kids go to school but if theres no antivirus then no school for my kids. a 3 year child has died from crona and i will not take any chance
That’s alright closing the road close to Lane End but unfortunately it’s going to cause an even bigger problem for residents in the nearby estate. We already have a problem with parents double parking and not being able to park in our own street. This is going to put the elderly and vulnerable residents at more risk with parents parking and congregating within the estate.
There is already in place,plans for alterations to parking at the bottom of Beeston Road (and alterations to road layout) to accommodate the additional children going in St. Luke’s school in September of this year. These plans have been drawn up for some time and have to be ready for September. I sincerely hope that Northcote Drive is going to be closed to non residents , otherwise, the problems of residents trying to get in or out of the estate will be greatly exaggerated.
Just a observation that I call at my Mums who is house bound everyday and the first time I new about the Ingram Road School Road Closures was today 10th June 2020 I’ve not read anything about it and seen no letter’s informing my Mum about it.Also I think the signage is too high up and blocked by foliage. I Agree completely with the idea to make it safer for the school children and parents at school times.
While the schools have a small number of kids attending this is feasible . However when schools are back at full capacity the nearest place parents can drop off will be outside St Lukes primary school. This is congested/overcrowded with only St Lukes parents parking there (the school have different opening/closing times) but with the road outside Lane End shut I think it will be chaos and if road markings are not changed will put people crossing Beaston Rd outside St Lukes in danger as at moment it is legal/perceived to be legal to drop off pick up by the crossing point. As I walk along Lane End Place to work (Lollypop man at St Lukes) in winter it’s bad when parents sit in cars on Lane End Place and Beeston rd with engine running waiting for school to open (fumes horrible) but I can imagine loads will turn up before road closed and sit with engine running for even longer, some (thankfully not many) smoking in car. Why not use CCTV to fine anyone parking/dropping off? We have the tec to id who is breaking parking rules why not use it?