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ßÙßÇÂþ» School Street
What is a School Street scheme?
School Streets prioritise pedestrians and cyclists on roads outside schools by temporarily restricting most motor traffic from entering the roads during pick-up and drop-off times. Parents and carers are asked to either walk, scoot or cycle with their children to school or to park a little further away and walk the last few minutes of their journey.
The main aim of a School Street is to reduce the amount of traffic on streets around a school.
They help tackle congestion and improve air quality at the school gates, making it easier and safer to walk and cycle to school. They create a more pleasant environment for everyone, while making sure residents and business owners located within the street, pedestrians and cyclists can still use the road.
The road will temporarily become a Pedestrian and Cycle Zone at set times in the morning and afternoon. Vehicles are not permitted to enter the 'zone' between these times unless they have been granted an exemption for their vehicles. Signs inform drivers of the restrictions at the entrance of the closed road.
Potters Gate School Street
Going Live in Farnham on Monday 24 November
ßÙßÇÂþ» are implementing their second School Street scheme on the roads next to Potters Gate Primary School. During the times 8am–9am and 3pm–4pm only residents who have applied for an exemption will be eligible to drive into Beavers Road and Potters Gate (please see below for other eligible exemptions)
The Potters Gate School Street is being implemented using an experimental traffic order which means monitoring data and public views will be collected during the first six months to inform as to whether to keep the School Street permanently, amend or remove it. For the first six months anyone driving into these two roads without an exemption will be sent a warning letter, if they repeat the offence again, they will receive a £70 penalty charge notice.
Exemptions
Eligible applicants
Exemptions are free of charge for eligible applicants; vehicle owners must provide their V5C vehicle logbook as proof of their vehicle registration details to receive an exemption. (Where eligible applicants drive a vehicle which is a lease car or a company car that does not belong to them, they will need to provide proof of the lease agreement or company car agreement showing the car registration information and their name and/or address).
The following vehicles will be exempt from the restrictions and permitted to enter or leave the school street during the operating times
Residents of the school street zone will be exempt from the restrictions but do need to apply for this exemption. A separate application will be required for each vehicle registered to the property up to a maximum of 6 vehicles per address. Before starting your application, please ensure you have your V5C vehicle logbook and a proof of residency document.
Proof of residency can take the form of any of the following documents;
- Council tax statement dated within the last 12 month period
- Rental agreement dated within the last 12 month period
- A utility bill (for example gas/electricity/water) dated within 2 months and showing the residents name and address
- Driver’s licence clearly showing name and address
- For new residents - a solicitor's letter showing the house purchase completion date within the last 12 month period
This exemption will need to be renewed each year.
Parents or carers who hold a blue badge, or have a child that holds a blue badge, will be exempt from the restrictions when dropping off and picking up their children from the school but will need to apply for this exemption.
School transport providers will be exempt from the restrictions but need to apply for this exemption.
Individuals employed by the school will be exempt from the restrictions when driving to and from the school on their working days but will need to apply for the exemption.
The operation of the School Street scheme should not affect how and when you receive your care, therefore professional carers and healthcare workers who provide care/support to residents within the School Street will be exempt from the restrictions. The carer or their organisation will need to apply for this exemption.
The operation of the School Street should not affect how and when you receive your care, therefore informal carers such as family members and friends who provide care/support to residents within the School Street will be exempt from the restrictions. The family member or friend will need to apply for this exemption including the name and address of the individual that they care for, along with a letter or an email from the resident or their GP confirming that they require care.
Temporary exemptions
Where a resident of the School Street zone has planned building works, a temporary exemption can be granted by emailing parking@surreycc.gov.uk Please ensure that you include your name and address in this email along with the vehicle registration number/s of the contractors and the time period that you expect the works to go on for. Applications for a temporary exemption must be made before 4pm the day before access is required (if this falls on a Monday, applications must be received by 4pm the previous Friday). Proof of eligibility can include an invoice or job schedule to confirm the address.
Where a resident of the School Street zone plans to move in or out of their property and intends to use a third party removals contractor, a temporary exemption can be granted by emailing parking@surreycc.gov.uk . Please ensure that you include your name and address in this email along with the vehicle registration number/s of the contractors and the time period that you expect the works to go on for. Applications for a temporary exemption must be made before 4pm the day before access is required (if this falls on a Monday, applications must be received by 4pm the previous Friday). Proof of eligibility can include an invoice or job schedule to confirm address.
Where a resident of the School Street zone needs to have emergency works done on their property, a temporary exemption can be granted by emailing parking@surreycc.gov.uk We understand that in these circumstances it may have to be the case that the application for exemption is made after the fact. Please ensure that you include your name and address in this email along with the vehicle registration number/s of the contractors and the time period that they will be/were on site for. Proof of eligibility can include an invoice or job schedule to confirm address.
Where a resident of the School Street zone needs to receive emergency or refrigerated medication, a temporary exemption can be granted by emailing parking@surreycc.gov.uk . We understand that in emergency circumstances it may have to be the case that the application for exemption is made after the fact. Please ensure that you include your name and address in this email along with the vehicle registration number/s of the contractors and the time period that they will be/were on site for. Proof of eligibility can include an invoice or job schedule to confirm delivery time and address.
Where a resident of the School Street zone has a hire car or courtesy vehicle allocated to them, for example by their garage or insurance company, this will be exempt from the restrictions but will need to be registered as a temporary vehicle by emailing parking@surreycc.gov.uk Please ensure that you include your name and address in this email along with the vehicle registration number and the time period that you expect to be using this vehicle for. Proof of eligibility in the form of the hire agreement should be included.
Automatic exemptions
The following vehicles are automatically exempt (and therefore don’t need to apply for an exemption):
- Emergency vehicles
- Council refuse/bin lorries
- Royal Mail post vehicles (but not Parcel Force deliveries)
- Utility companies (such as gas/electricity/water/telecommunications providers).
Those not eligible for an exemption
We cannot allow for an exemption for parents and carers of pupils at the school because the aim is to reduce traffic on the road. Instead, we suggest that parents and carers park outside of the School Street zone and walk the remaining distance into school if they are unable to walk, wheel or cycle the whole journey.
We cannot allow for an exemption for those that use the School Street zone as part of their onward journey because the aim is to reduce traffic on the road.
We cannot allow for an exemption for friends and family wishing to visit residents within the School Street zone because the aim is to reduce traffic on the road. Instead, we suggest that arrangements are made to visit outside of the School Street operating times, or to park outside of the School Street zone and walk the rest of the way.
This includes all delivery companies including supermarket deliveries but does not include Royal Mail postal services. We cannot allow for an exemption for ad hoc deliveries because the aim is to reduce traffic on the road. Instead, we suggest that where it is possible to do so, deliveries are arranged for times outside of the School Street operating times.
This includes (but is not limited to) dog walkers, pet grooming services, mobile hairdressers and beauticians. We cannot allow for an exemption for mobile businesses wishing to visit properties within the School Street zone because the aim is to reduce traffic on the road. Instead, we suggest that arrangements are made for these businesses to visit outside of the School Street operating times, or to park outside of the School Street zone and walk the rest of the way.
We cannot allow for an exemption for taxis within the School Street zone because the aim is to reduce traffic on the road. Instead, we suggest that arrangements are made for taxis to arrive outside of the School Street operating times, or to make their pickup or drop off outside of the School Street zone and walk the rest of the way.
An Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera will be installed on the street to check the vehicles that enter and exit during the period of operation. Vehicles entering the School Street zone during its operational hours without a registered exemption will receive a penalty charge notice (PCN). For the first 6 months of operation a letter of warning will be issued to non-exempt vehicles entering the School Street zone during times of operation, if they repeat the offence a second time, a penalty notice of £70 will be issued (£35 if paid within 21 days).
Further information
How a School Street works
School Streets temporary restrict vehicle access on a road outside schools, creating pedestrian and cycle zones during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. During these set times, only vehicles with an exemption will be permitted to enter the zone. Signage will be displayed at each entry and closure point informing drivers of the timed restrictions in place.
Times of operation for the School Street zone
Each school street will have different times of operations depending on the local school timings. A School Street will operate from Monday to Friday during term-time. School Streets do not operate during school holidays or at weekends.
Our proposed operating times for Potters Gate School Street are 8am to 9am and 3pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday, term time only.
Movement of vehicles already in the School Street when it is in operation
Vehicles already parked in the School Street before the times of operation will be able to exit. During the operating times any vehicles are advised to travel at walking pace for everyone's safety.
Using a courtesy or hire car
We ask residents to ensure they keep the council updated with the details of any new or different vehicles they are using. Residents will need to provide evidence that the vehicle is for their use, for example a rental agreement, lease or insurance information.
Impact of the School Street zone on local traffic
The total volumes of traffic near to the school are expected to decrease during drop-off and pick-up times as it will become easier to walk, scoot or cycle rather than drive. There will also be less through-traffic. Although residents may notice increased parking on other roads outside of the School Street during the controlled hours, the amount of vehicles parked in the School Street should decrease.
Where there is no option except driving to school
The objective of the School Street is to make the school run safer, healthier, and more enjoyable for the whole community, as well as for children travelling to school. It is not intended to penalise parents who need to use their car for the school run. For those who rely on the car to take children to school, they can park slightly further away and walk the last part of the journey.
Signage in the School Street
At each entry and exit point to the School Street there will be two 'No Motor Vehicles' traffic signs together with a 'School Street Plate' to inform people of the restrictions.
Advanced warning signs will be put up on all surrounding roads to indicate that there is no way through for motor traffic at school opening and closing times. A campaign of flyers and letters will notify residents, parents, school staff and local businesses when the School Street launches. A social media campaign will also be part of the launch. We will notify satellite navigation providers so that the School Street is visible on their systems.
We ask the school and anyone living within the School Street zone to tell visitors about the restrictions when visits are being planned.
Monitoring the School Street
We will undertake a range of measures to monitor the School Street. These include:
- Traffic counts to measure vehicle levels before and after School Street implementation
- Surveys to measure how children are travelling to school before and after implementation
- Consultation feedback
- Safety audits before and after implementation
- Safety reviews after implementation and settling of the scheme
- Penalty charge notice data