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Families at a Gosforth primary school will experience a safer and healthier school run when their new School Street starts tomorrow (Fri 15 July).

The scheme – which prevents traffic from using the street outside the school gates during pupil drop off and pick up times – will launch at Grange First School in the morning.

It means drivers of vehicles without a permit will not be allowed to travel along or park up on Norham Road between 8am and 9.30am and between 2.30pm and 4pm.

Newcastle City Council is working with Sustrans, the charity that helps more people walk, cycle and wheel, to introduce School Street schemes in partnership with schools and local communities across the city.

Removing traffic from outside school and encouraging families to walk, scoot or cycle instead of driving helps to create a safer and less polluted environment.

Cllr Jane Byrne, Cabinet member for connected city at Newcastle City Council, said: “School Street schemes are a positive thing for children and I’m really pleased that the pupils at Grange First School will get to enjoy the benefits.

“It’s great that they will not have to navigate their way through busy streets with lots of traffic and parked cars.

“And importantly, fewer idling cars and congestion around the school gates means better air quality which is hugely important for children’s health and development.”

The scheme at Grange First School is the second School Street to launch in the city.

The first scheme, at Hotspur Primary School, in Heaton, is already proving popular with pupils, families and local residents.

Ali Stansfield, Sustrans’ School Streets Officer for Newcastle, said: “It’s brilliant to see how the School Streets scheme is already making school journeys safer and calmer at Hotspur Primary and we’re delighted to be bringing these benefits to pupils at Grange First, too.

“Pupils at Grange First School are currently having to deal with cars speeding, idling, and pavement parking on their way to school. This School Street will make the last leg of their journey safer and healthier so they can arrive at school calm and ready to learn.”

People can comment and provide feedback on the schemes during the first six months. Following this, feedback and views will be looked at to determine whether any changes are needed.

A scheme to help pupils at a Gosforth primary school enjoy safer journeys to school will start from next month.

On Friday, 15 July, a School Street scheme will launch at Grange First School to help reduce traffic, improve road safety and cut pollution outside the school.

It’s the second School Street to launch in the city, with children at Hotspur Primary School, in Heaton, already benefiting from safer and healthier school journeys.

Cllr Jane Byrne, Cabinet member for connected city at Newcastle City Council, said: “Traffic and congestion at school drop off and pick up times is something that many children, families, schools and residents are concerned about so it’s great to see a second School Street scheme ready to launch in Newcastle.

“The school run can be a busy part of the day for parents and carers but finding those extra minutes to walk, scoot or cycle for all or part of the journey will make a big difference in terms of children’s safety, their health and the environment.

“We’ve seen really positive feedback regarding the School Street at Hotspur Primary School so far and I hope the scheme will prove just as popular at Grange First School.”

Newcastle City Council is working with schools and with Sustrans, the charity that promotes walking and cycling, to introduce School Street schemes across the city.

The schemes mean that roads outside schools have traffic restrictions on school days during drop off and pick up times.

At Grange School the restrictions will be in place on Norham Road between 8am and 9.30am on school day mornings and between 2.30pm and 4pm on school day afternoons.

Residents and some other drivers, including blue badge holders, will still have access to the street but other traffic will have to use alternative routes during these times of day.

Children, parents and carers will be encouraged to walk, scoot and cycle to school, or to park further away and walk the rest of the journey.

Letters have been sent to parents and carers and to local residents and businesses to make them aware of the scheme.

People will be invited to provide comments and feedback on the scheme during the first six months. Following this feedback and views will be looked at to determine whether any changes are needed.

For more information about School Streets or to comment on a scheme visit www.newcastle.gov.uk/schoolstreets

📢Pupils at Hotspur Primary, in Heaton, will be enjoying safer, healthier and less polluted journeys to school from next Monday (June 13).

🚧Roads around the school, including Hotspur Street, Mowbray Street, Newington Road and some back lanes, will close to general traffic from 8am - 9.30am and 2.30pm - 4pm as part of a new School Street scheme.

🛴It’s aimed at improving road safety and air quality outside schools and encouraging children, parents and carers to walk, scoot or cycle instead of driving.

Head Teacher Kevin McVittie and Ali Stansfield from Sustrans tell us why they are excited.

A School Streets scheme to help make journeys to school safer and healthier for pupils is to be introduced at a Newcastle primary school.

School day road closures during drop off and pick up times are to be introduced on streets outside Hotspur Primary School, in Heaton.

The closures will be in place between 8am and 9.30am on school day mornings, and again between 2.30pm and 4pm on school day afternoons.

Roads affected include Mowbray Street, Hotspur Street and Newington Road, as well as the back lanes behind Stratford Road and between Hotspur Street and Warwick Street and Hotspur Street and Mowbray Street.

Residents and some other drivers, including blue badge holders, will still have access to the street but other traffic will have to use alternative routes during these times of day.

Children, parents and carers will be encouraged to walk, scoot and cycle to school, or to park further away and walk the rest of the journey.

The scheme is aimed at creating a safer and less polluted area outside the school gates to benefit pupils and their families as well as staff and local residents.

Newcastle City Council is working with the school and with Sustrans – the charity that promotes walking and cycling – to implement the scheme.

Ali Stansfield, School Streets Officer at Sustrans, said: “The pupils at Hotspur Primary School are really keen to travel actively but they have told us that they’re worried about dangerous driving and parking near their school.

“A School Street at Hotspur will allow these pupils and their families to have safer, healthier and more fun journeys to and from school.”

Kevin McVittie, headteacher at Hotspur Primary School, said: “The roads around Hotspur Primary School can become very congested at the beginning and end of the day so we really welcome the introduction of the School Streets scheme as it means it will be much safer for our children and much better for local residents.

“The scheme also builds on the messages about healthy living that we give to children in school by further encouraging walking, cycling or scooting to school.”

The announcement of the School Streets scheme at Hotspur Primary School comes as children at schools across Newcastle take part in the national Walk to School Week annual event, which is taking place this week.

The scheme will be introduced from Monday 13 June and people are invited to provide comments and feedback during the first six months.

Feedback and views will then be looked at to determine whether any changes to the scheme are required.

Letters will be issued to families and to residents and businesses in the area and further details of how people can share their feedback will be published when the scheme begins.

This is one of a number of School Streets planned to be introduced in partnership with Sustrans and other schools in across the city as part of ongoing work to create safer, cleaner and greener neighbourhoods.

Details of further schemes will be confirmed in due course.