Permanent school-time closure to be considered for Shrewsbury road as trial gets under way
A council is to look at permanently closing a road to traffic during school pick up and drop offs.
Shropshire Council says an experimental order will be in place on Greyfriars Road in Shrewsbury, outside Coleham Primary School.
A consultation will take place on the order, which will close the road to traffic from 8.20am-9am and 2.50pm-3.30pm on each school day.
The experimental order comes into place on May 1.
Pedal cycles, residents requiring access to their premises, and emergency vehicles being used in an emergency, are exempt from these restrictions.
The council said that an extension on the order, which was brought in as part of the pandemic for social distancing, had been requested by parents and the school.
A statement from the council said: "A closure was introduced on Greyfriars Road, Shrewsbury using a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TTRO) during the Covid-19 pandemic to assist with the need for social distancing of school children during pick up and drop off times.
"The school and parents have indicated that safety has been improved and they would like Shropshire Council to consider a permanent TRO.
"Due to the nature of the temporary regulation order, and the reason that the scheme was initially implemented, no data has been gathered with regards to traffic displacement and the impact on the surrounding streets, local businesses and residents.
"It is now proposed to introduce an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to allow the following: Gather traffic displacement data; Assess the level of safety provided to the school children; Formal consultation with residents and businesses.
The council said the experimental order would allow official data collection and a period of consultation.
The consultation will run until November 1.
