Council receives funding to make School Safe Haven Zones permanent

Published: 19 May 2023

Derby City Council has been awarded £140,000 to make Derby’s existing School Safe Haven Zones permanent, as well as include an additional four schools in the scheme.

‘School Streets’, locally known as School Safe Haven Zones, aim to promote cleaner air, reduce congestion, improve road safety and increase levels of walking, wheeling and cycling in the areas immediately outside schools.

In late 2021, the first School Safe Haven was introduced at Redwood School in Sinfin for a period of 18 months. Since then, the trial has been expanded to a further eight schools across seven wards.

The existing Safe Haven Zones have been well received by their local communities and have proven successful in helping to create a more pleasant environment and address safety concerns associated with high levels of car usage near schools.

The funding to make the existing zones permanent has been awarded through the fourth round of the Government’s Active Travel Fund, which is responsible for making walking, wheeling and cycling the preferred choice for everyone to get around in England.

Verna Bayliss, the Council’s Director of Planning, Transportation and Engineering, said:

We’re thrilled that we’ve been awarded this funding which will allow us to make our hugely successful School Safe Haven Zone trials permanent.

The feedback we’re received so far and results from the current trials speak for themselves, local communities have seen huge improvements in levels of traffic outside of schools and most importantly, the safety of students and their families.

Each Safe Haven Zone is a collaboration between the school, Council, residents and businesses. This includes our Cycle Derby team who will work with the local community and the school to reinforce positive changes in behaviour and confidence in using alternative ways to travel and school road safety.

As well as enabling the Council to make the existing School Safe Havens permanent, the funding will allow an additional four schools in Derby to trial the project. The Council is inviting selected schools to express their interest in trialling road closures and joining the existing School Safe Haven Zones across the city. For more information about School Safe Havens, visit the Council’s website.

Children, Education, Environment, Streets, Transport