Brighton’s school streets initiative may end unless more volunteers step up to help manage traffic restrictions
He wanted to know if the traffic restrictions would continue. These restrictions close the road to traffic during school drop-off and pick-up times, but they rely heavily on volunteers to manage them.
Balfour Primary School is one of several schools in the area using these experimental traffic orders. Parents are worried because some drivers are ignoring the rules, parking on zig-zags, and making the area unsafe.
At the meeting, Trevor Muten, the Labour cabinet member for transport, mentioned that compliance was good when the scheme started. However, many drivers have since disregarded the rules.
In October, Muten met with Davis and other councillors to discuss keeping the school street running. But he noted that the number of volunteers has dropped, leading to more drivers flouting the restrictions.
He expressed disappointment over the lack of adherence to the rules. The Department for Transport has also indicated that relying on volunteers for these schemes isn’t a long-term solution.
Muten said that while the schools have done their best to support the initiative, the success of the scheme depends on having enough volunteers. Without them, the council may have to change the current setup.
He added that if there aren’t enough volunteers, they’ll have to remove the time restrictions and implement permanent measures instead. It’s a tough situation, and everyone hopes for a solution that keeps kids safe.
