Swindon Borough Council remains committed to bolstering road safety in the area of local schools, with the continuation of its School Safe Environment Zone Scheme (SSEZ) this year.
Since launching in October 2020, 50 schools have already seen a range of behavioural change initiatives, engineering and enforcement measures introduced to improve road safety outside and on the approach to each school.
These include ‘School Keep Clear’ markings, single and double yellow lines, flashing amber school signs, and the introduction of three School Streets.
In a bid to further enhance safety measures, the Council has allocated £177,000 to extend similar initiatives to additional schools across Swindon. These enhancements could include five-minute walk zones, Park ‘n’ Stride, anti-idling and air quality toolkits as well as pupil banner design competitions.
Each SSEZ design is meticulously tailored to suit the unique circumstances, characteristics, and locations of the respective schools, taking into account the behaviours of pupils and parents or carers.
The selection process for inclusion in the SSEZ programme involves a thorough assessment of all schools in Swindon, prioritising those in dire need of support based on several criteria, including school type, road conditions, availability of cycle routes and footpaths, pupil population, community feedback, and historical data on road traffic incidents involving school children.
For the fourth consecutive year (2023/24), 23 schools have been earmarked to benefit from the SSEZ programme. Council officers have collaborated closely with school representatives, stakeholders, and local communities to identify and implement tailored measures aligned with the specific needs of each school. The rollout of road safety enhancements is slated to commence over the coming months across the following schools:
- Chiseldon Primary School
- Oakhurst Community Primary School
- Catherine Wayte Primary School
- The Dorcan Academy
- The Ridgeway School
- Wroughton Junior School
- Oliver Tomkins Infants & Juniors
- St. Joseph’s Catholic College
- Badbury Park Primary School
- Eldene Primary School
- Peatmoor Community Primary
- Wroughton Infants School
- Lethbridge Primary School
- Grange Junior School
- Brook Field Primary School
- St Francis Primary School
- Drove Primary School
- Wanborough Primary School
- Bishopstone Primary School
- Grange Infants School
- Swindon Academy
- Moredon Primary School
Councillor Chris Watts, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, said: “Keeping children safe on their journeys to and from school is a priority for the Council.
“We have a lot of busy roads close to many of our schools and the School Safe Environment Programme has an important part to play in improving road safety.
“I hope that these new measures and behaviour change initiatives will see a reduction in injuries and make children and parents feel safer on the school run.”
For further information and updates, interested parties are encouraged to visit the School Safe Environment pages on the Council’s official website.
