To reduce traffic danger and congestion in the area, Bristol City Council is proposing to turn College Square into a walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting-only zone at school start and finish times.

Vehicles would not be permitted to enter the zone for approximately 45 minutes in the morning between 8.15am and 9am and 1 hour in the afternoon between 2.45pm and 3.45pm. Emergency vehicles and Blue Badge holders would be automatically exempt from these restrictions.

The scheme can be enforced by the police. The penalty for ignoring the prohibition is a fixed penalty notice. Advanced warning signs will be installed, and temporary barriers will be placed at the entrance to the scheme and monitored by school staff. All vehicles already parked in the zone before the times of operation will be able to exit without incurring a fixed penalty notice.

School Streets will make it easier for Blue Badge holders to access the school entrances by reducing traffic outside the school gates. Those holding valid Blue Badges will be exempt from the restrictions but existing parking restrictions (e.g. double yellow lines) still apply. We will ask that Blue Badge holders display their Blue Badge clearly in the windscreen of their vehicle and they may be stopped and asked to confirm their details on some occasions.

We will ask people with additional access requirements and those with disabilities to contact the Bristol School Streets team to discuss any personal access needs as they may be eligible for an exemption permit.

Parents or carers dropping children at school will not be eligible for an exemption, unless you or your child are a Blue Badge holder or have access needs. We are pleased that parents at our existing Bristol School Streets schools are embracing the scheme and are choosing to walk, cycle or scoot where possible.

School staff will need to be inside the School Street zone area before it comes into operation. Only staff who have a Blue Badge will be exempt. School staff will be able to leave the zone during the times of operation without requiring an access permit.

Bristol School Streets aims to encourage and prioritise a safe environment around schools to allow for walking, cycling and scooting. Parents and carers who feel they need to drive will need to park legally nearby and walk the remainder of the journey.

We will be working with the school to promote active travel to school, which includes walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting. We will also look at identifying suitable park and stride locations, enabling parents and carers to park slightly further away from the school and walk the remaining distance.

Evidence suggests that where School Streets have been implemented, the result is a reduction in car use rather than displacement to surrounding streets. We will continue to monitor the impact of the scheme once it has been implemented.

College Square should be visibly calmer and feel safer during these times. Data will be collected before the scheme is implemented and monitored once the measures are in place, so we can access the change in traffic levels and how pupils are travelling to school. We will continue to review feedback from the school and local community.