School/Living Streets

What are School Streets?

A School Street is a road outside a school with a temporary restriction on motorised traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times. The restriction applies to school traffic and through traffic. The result is a safer, healthier and pleasant environment for everyone.

School Street schemes offer a proactive solution for school communities to tackle air pollution, poor health and road danger reduction. A School Street scheme will encourage a healthier lifestyle and active travel to school for families and lead to a better environment for everyone.

The School Streets initiative  began in November 2020.  Signs can be seen to highlight this at the top of Stanhope Road and half of Homestead Road.  Please note,  if you drive through these roads during the times below, during term time you will receive a penalty charge notice.  Please note: local residents, blue badges holders and emergency vehicles can still access these roads during this time.  Parents/carers do not allow your children to walk on the road.  The school is not responsible for any breach of the restrictions or any penalty charge notices.  The school cannot cancel any penalty charge notices. You need to deal directly with the borough parking department. 

Grafton Primary School has chosen to be part of an exciting nationwide challenge to encourage more children and their families to walk or cycle to school.

WOW – the year-round walk to school challenge is created by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking, to help as many children as possible benefit from walking to school.

With WOW, children report how they get to school every day and if they walk, cycle or scoot twice a week for a month, they get rewarded with a badge. Children love the badges and compete to add to their collections!

Walking to school helps children feel happier and healthier and they arrive refreshed, fit and ready to learn. More families walking means fewer cars on the road, helping to reduce congestion and pollution.

What if you can’t walk to school?

You can Park and Stride or hop off public transport at least ten minutes away from the school and walk the rest of the way. Class teachers will explain this to your children.

Did you know?

The badges are made in Cornwall from recycled plastic material that was otherwise destined for landfill, including fridge trays, plastic plates and yoghurt pot off-cuts. For more information, visit: https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school/

In the UK, last year, around 2,000 schools and over half a million pupils enjoyed the benefits of walking to school with WOW. Will you join us? 

Let’s swap those school runs for school walks.