Dear parents and carers,

EXCITING NEWS!

Wakefield School Streets - LAUNCHING ON 10th NOVEMBER!

We wrote to you in the summer term to consult with you on a proposed 'School Streets' initiative in conjunction with Wakefield Council. Thank you for any responses that we received of which the majority were very positive. 

We are excited  to let you know that Wakefield Council are going ahead with the ‘trial School Street’ on Westwood Road/Queens Walk. This scheme will help you, your children and our school community stay safer. It does this by making space for people to travel safely to and from school on foot, by scooter or bike and reduce the risk of spreading the Corona virus.

Wakefield Council will introduce a Temporary/Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for up to 18 months to restrict traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times on Westwood Road/Queens Walk.

These types of restrictions are known as School Streets, and they have the support of the local councillors, residents and key stakeholders such as West Yorkshire Police.

The Council will put signs at the entrance to the school street so you know the road is restricted to vehicles along with the times of the restriction.

Emergency vehicles and resident permit holders will have access at all times.

The School Streets scheme will also have other benefits:

• makes the air around school fresher and cleaner

• gives children the chance to get to school ‘actively’, which helps them stay healthy

• makes roads safer for everyone.

For parents/carers that have to drive their children to school, we are introducing 'Park & Stride' sites at Malagor and Prince of Wales pub. Thank you to both for their support with this.  We would ask parents/carers to use this facility and walk/scoot to school for the remainder of your journey.

Please help us all by walking, cycling or scooting to school if you possibly can.

If coming on scooters or bikes, you must dismount on entry to the school grounds. As part of the scheme we have had our lovely new bike shed fitted (just outside the Nursery playground) where children can securely leave their bikes.

Also as part of the scheme, many of our children will take part in scooter / bike /balance bike workshops this half term. 

We are receiving a number of balance bikes and scooters to keep at school as part of the scheme. 

School Streets will be launched on Wednesday 10th November. You will see members of staff from school, representatives from the local council and support from our local policing team. 

Westwood Road and Queens Walk will be closed to all traffic (with exception of permit holders) from 8.35am-9.05am and 3.05-3.35 daily from 10th November onwards. 

We really appreciate your support with this trial scheme. 

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping everyone to stay safe.