School Streets: how timed road closures are clearing the gate

A School Street is a road outside a school that's closed to through motor traffic at the start and end of the day — typically for 45 minutes to an hour, twice a day. Pedestrians, cycles and residents keep access; the school gate becomes calmer, cleaner and safer.

The evidence

Evaluations of School Streets — including Transport for London, which has helped roll out hundreds across the capital — report lower traffic, fewer conflicts at the gate and measurable improvements in air quality during the restricted hours. For children, who breathe faster and lower to the ground, that matters.

How they're set up

Councils introduce them through a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), often enforced by camera (ANPR) or by stewards and a removable barrier. Residents and registered carers usually receive exemptions. Schemes frequently start as an experimental order with public consultation before being made permanent.

Making it work with carpools

A School Street solves the gate — but it can push parking onto surrounding streets. The fix is fewer vehicles arriving at all. When several families share one verified ride, you remove cars from the whole catchment, not just the closed road. That's why councils increasingly pair School Streets with car-share and active-travel schemes.