Councils get new guidance on School Streets but no word from DfT on funding

The DfT and Active Travel England have reaffirmed their support for the nationwide roll-out of School Streets with the release of comprehensive new guidance. This set outs the key steps and factors local authorities in England should consider when developing and implementing schemes.

However, it still remains unclear how much funding will be allocated to new School Streets schemes next year. An ATE spokesperson told LTT: “In terms of funding for future schemes - the Government is still currently finalising active travel funding allocations for the 2025/26 financial year, so will be announcing further details on this in due course.”

So far, ATE has funded more than 180 schemes through the Active Travel Fund. Since 2020 the fund has provided around £4m to councils to construct School Streets. 

ATE and DfT have also provided Capability Funding to councils to support planning, delivery and engagement in School Streets. Authorities have reported that approximately £800,000 of this revenue funding has been assigned to School Streets projects since 2021, said ATE.

National Active Travel Commissioner Chris Boardman said: “Through our new School Streets guidance, we will be able to better design activity into our neighbourhoods and help make life happier and healthier for future generations, all while reducing congestion on the roads during school run times for residents and businesses – it’s win-win for everyone.”

However, Rod King from campaign group 20’s Plenty for Us argued that School Streets should not detract from the need for community-wide road safety. He told LTT: “Of course, the safety of children ‘outside schools’ is important, but children don’t live outside schools and we should be aware that at any time there are probably more children walking and cycling ‘outside of outside schools’ than those ‘outside schools’.”

Children need protection on their whole journey from home to school, said King, who is Founder and Campaign Director at 20’s Plenty. “And that’s why they need community-wide 20mph limits,” he told LTT. “Any preoccupation with ‘outside schools’ that ignores the danger to children wherever they are forced to ‘mix with motors’ fails a duty of care.

This new guidance - School Streets: How to set up and manage a scheme - is aimed at local authorities in England, particularly authorities with limited experience of delivering School Streets. It may also be of interest to schools and local elected members, said ATE.

Across England, around 40% of all primary school children and 25% of secondary school children are driven to school by car/van - figures that have increased dramatically since the mid-1970s, said ATE. “These figures vary significantly and can be influenced by factors such as school location and type of school.”

Implementing School Streets can also help local authorities to fulfil their statutory duty to promote the use of sustainable modes of travel to school as set out in the Education Act 1996 and associated statutory guidance, said ATE.

It also cites research and evidence from the Road Safety Trust, which says that School Streets increase active travel on the school run, are supported by most parents and residents in the nearby community, and do not cause significant road safety issues through traffic displacement.

Research commissioned by ATE found that 85% of people in England support active travel and would like to do more, while data from charity Sustrans has previously found that 4 out of 5 children want to walk or cycle to school.

Chris Boardman said: “The majority of kids have told us they want to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle to school – it’s what they want, and it’s what we want for them. It is vital that we give them the opportunity to bookend their day in the classroom with fresh air and exercise, helping them build healthy travel habits for life.”

The guidance also challenges “common unfounded myths” about School Streets. For example, it refutes claims that School Streets disadvantage Blue Badge holders. The reality is that Blue Badge holders who require access to a School Street zone during operational hours can be exempted from the restrictions, states the guidance. “Local authorities can put in place permit schemes that exempt vehicles, including those used by Blue Badge holders, from traffic restrictions.”

The guidance also challenges the view that School Streets prevent teachers and other school staff from getting to their place of work.

“Traffic restrictions are in force for short periods that coincide with pupil drop off and pick up times,” states ATE. “In many cases, teachers/other school staff who rely on a car will arrive before the restrictions come into force and will not be negatively affected by the scheme. Vehicles already parked within a School Street before the restrictions apply can remain parked (subject to any parking restrictions) and usually are able to leave at any time.”

School Streets: How to set up and manage a scheme

Find out more about the ATE guidance at School Streets 2025 in London on 12 February:

https://www.landorlinks.uk/school-streets-2025

ATE lists myriad benefits of School Streets

School Streets can support the delivery of a range of benefits at “the individual, school, neighbourhood and broader local authority level”, according to Active Travel England. These include:

• Removal of congestion and reduction in emissions outside schools

• Reduced instances of dangerous driving, parking and turning outside schools at times

of day when many children and families are present

• Fewer road safety issues and improved perceptions of road safety

• Increased levels of walking, wheeling and cycling to school

• Enhanced opportunities for social interaction

• Improved physical and mental health amongst pupils

• Increased pupil independence

• Developing early active travel habits which can be carried into later life