A new push to encourage less driving to and from schools and more active forms of travel is set to go live in a Dundee community later this month.
The Safer School Streets initiative at Fintry Primary School will build on work which has already seen more children in Dundee walk, cycle and scoot to school.
Mark Flynn convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “Unfortunately we still have more car journeys around schools than the Scottish average and a lot of work is going into changing attitudes, the physical environment and other activity.
“Because of the locations of some of our schools, staggered start and finish times at our secondaries and other environmental factors, we needed to take the time to create tailored solutions with the school and wider communities.
“That is why we have looked carefully at all of the factors that need considered and have carried out consultation over time with many interested groups to create a scheme aimed at reducing congestion, improving road safety and having a positive impact on air quality.”
From Monday September 27 there will be a part time prohibition of driving from Monday to Friday on school days from 8.30am to 9.15am, and 3pm to 3.30pm in Finavon Terrace, Findcastle Street, Findcastle Place and Findcastle Terrace.
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.
A free permit to be displayed on the windscreen will identify residents’ vehicles, and is available from Dundee City Council in one of three ways.
Residents can submit the V5C document (proof of vehicle ownership) to schoolstreets@dundeecity.gov.uk by taking a picture or scanning the front page and attaching it to the email. Please put Fintry Permit Application in the subject header of the email.
It can also be done in person at Finmill Community Centre on Monday September 20 between 3pm and 6pm, or by a home visit on the same date which can be requested by calling 433657 to arrange a time.
Permits will be issued from September 17 but applications should be made as soon as possible.
Cllr Flynn added: “While we recognise that each family has its own circumstances our research indicates that 90% of pupils at Fintry PS live within a ten-minute walk of the sch“In addition to that we know that there are 110 households eligible for permits, but of course not all of them will have access to a vehicle.”
Following the launch in Fintry, similar schemes are earmarked for 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 Andrew’s Primary School.
Comparable measures have been in place at two other city primary schools for a number of years and active travel route improvements will continue to be developed at Dundee’s eight secondary schools as part of the School Travel Plans.
Safer School Streets 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
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%.
