Temporary ‘School Streets’ to be considered at five East Ayrshire schools

Five schools across East Ayrshire have been identified as possible locations for a trial of temporary ‘School Streets’.

A School Street is a road which is closed to all vehicular traffic at school start and finish times. The restriction would not apply to permit holders or blue badge holders, and residents of the street would be contacted directly and issued with free permits as the schemes are developed.

The schools identified are:

  1. Catrine Primary – temporary school time closure of Fourfields and possible further access restrictions on James Taylor Avenue and John Street
  2. Auchinleck Primary & ECC – temporary school time closures of School Road and Dalsalloch Road
  3. St Sophia’s Primary – temporary school time closures of Nelville Road and Shields Road
  4. Crosshouse Primary and ECC – temporary school time closure of Annandale Gardens
  5. Nether Robertland Primary – temporary school time closure of Pokelly Place.

These are all locations at which there have been reported issues between vehicles and pedestrians or vehicles and residents, as well as problems with significant congestion leading to unsafe manoeuvres at school times.

The sites have been passed to Sustrans who will review them and undertake design work. If they are deemed suitable for the trial, it’s hoped that the temporary School Streets would be in place as near as possible to the planned reopening of schools.

Funding for the project comes from the £550,000 that the Council received from Spaces for People, a new, temporary infrastructure programme in Scotland which offers funding and support to make it safer for people who choose to walk, cycle or wheel for essential trips and exercise during Covid-19. The programme is funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Sustrans Scotland.

You can find out more about our proposals to support physical distancing on our streets and leave your ideas about where physical distancing could be improved at: https://spacesforpeopleeastayrshire.commonplace.is/. You can also sign up to the newsletter there to receive the latest updates on the progress of the Spaces for People programme in East Ayrshire.

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