A new push to encourage less driving to and from schools and more active forms of travel is set to be discussed by councillors next week.
The Safer School Streets initiative will build on work which has seen more children in Dundee walk, cycle and scoot to school, but which still records more car journeys around schools than the Scottish average.
Mark Flynn convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “We have already put a considerable amount of work into changing attitudes, the physical environment and enforcement action which has been largely supported by the schools and communities. But there is still a need to do more.
“A one size fits all policy simply wouldn’t work because of the locations of some schools, and the staggered start and finish times at our secondaries.
“That is why we have looked carefully at all of the factors that need considered and are proposing an initial six schools/campuses for priority intervention.”
A report to the city development committee identifies Fintry PS as the first in line for a part time prohibition of driving from Monday to Friday on school days from 8.30am to 9.15am, and 3pm to 3.30pm, with Downfield Primary School; Craigiebarns Primary School; North East Campus (Longhaugh Primary School and St Francis Primary School); Coldside Campus (Rosebank Primary School and Our Lady’s Primary School); and St Andrews Primary School to follow.
Residents of the school streets will be exempt from the prohibition of driving along with emergency vehicles and contracted taxis for school transport. All other vehicles will be subject to enforcement by Police Scotland.
Similar measures have been in place at two other primary schools for a number of years and active travel route improvements will continue to be developed at the city’s eight secondary schools as part of the School Travel Plans.
Comparable schemes in towns and cities across the UK prohibiting non-resident traffic from driving in the streets immediately adjacent to a school during designated hours, have been successful in creating a safer space for pupils.
The report also recommends that a temporary post, funded by Sustrans “Places for Everyone” programme, is created to implement the scheme across the city by 2025.
The city development committee meets on Monday (January 25).
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
