Derby’s award-winning School Safe Haven Zones are being expanded, making the school gates at Castleward School safer for students.
A new School Safe Haven Zone has been introduced permanently at Castleward School, following successful trials and overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents, school staff, parents and carers.
School Safe Haven Zones operate outside of schools, using temporary road closures or restrictions to limit the use of cars for school drop-offs and pick-ups to improve air quality and safety for students.
The zones, which have been trialled in multiple locations across the city, have brought tangible benefits to both students and local residents. Not only are fewer hazards caused by moving and dangerously parked vehicles, but air quality has improved, and active travel – such as walking and cycling - has increased. Residents living close to the zones have also seen reductions in traffic ‘rat-runs’ and felt that their communities were safer, more pleasant places.
Councillor Camel Swan, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability said:
We’re incredibly proud of the positive impact that our School Safe Havens have already had, and I’m thrilled that we’re expanding the benefits to the Castleward School community.
This isn't just about reducing traffic; it's about making sure that our children are safe outside the school gates and enabling healthy habits from a young age by promoting walking and cycling.
Parents, carers, school staff and residents had the opportunity to see the benefits for themselves during the trials and shared overwhelmingly positive feedback through the public consultation, with not a single objection to the proposals. These measures have now been implemented permanently to create a safer, healthier environment for the community. As always, a huge thank you to everyone involved in the project to make the school gates even safer.
From Monday 29 September, vehicles will not be able to access Canal Street (between London Road and Carrington Street) from 8:30am to 9am and 3pm to 3:45pm, Monday to Friday (except for permit holders). A ‘No Motor Vehicles’ moving vehicle order will be in effect in the zone during school term times only.
To make it easier and safer for students to use active travel methods, a one-way system has been introduced on Canal Street, along with alterations to the Carrington Street junction to reduce through traffic and improve pedestrian safety. The previous one-way system on Carrington Street, between Canal Street and Trinity Street, in a westerly direction has been removed.
More information about School Safe Haven Zones can be found on the Council’s website.