Bristol School Streets: Minerva Primary Academy
Bristol City Council and Minerva Primary Academy are working together to make the journey to school safer.
As of June 2022, Bristol City Council has successfully launched the School Streets scheme with eleven primary schools in the city, including Minerva Primary Academy which launched on 5th September 2022.
The main aims of the Bristol School Streets project are to:
- lower the volume of traffic around the school gates
- improve road safety for pupils and their families
- encourage more pupils to walk, wheel, cycle or scoot to school
- improve the air quality and environment at the school gates, making it a more pleasant space for everyone
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To reduce traffic danger and congestion in the area, Bristol City Council turned a section of The Greenway (between Hillfields Avenue and Summerleaze) and a section of Cherrytree Crescent (between The Greenway and its junction with Cherrytree Road) into a walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting-only zone at school start and finish times.
There are physical barriers, managed by school staff placed at the boundary of the zone – at the junction of The Greenway and Hillfields Avenue.
The timings of the closure are between 08:15 – 09:00 in the morning and 14:45 – 15:30 in the afternoon, from Monday to Friday and during term-time only.
Certain exemptions apply, including emergency services and blue badge holders. Residents and carers of residents on the street are able to apply for an access permit.
Also introduced was a one-way going westbound on The Greenway at Hillfields Avenue to Summerleaze. A one-way was also introduced on Cherrytree Crescent between The Greenway to its junctions with Cherrytree Road. Introducing a part-time one way system is considered unsafe, so this is in use 24-hours a day, seven days a week. People travelling by cycle are exempt from this restriction.
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The one-way system will allow residents to be able to exit during the road closure periods. It should also prevent motorists from driving eastbound along Cherrytree Crescent and getting trapped when discovering the road closure, which should avoid people having to make dangerous turns in the road.
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The schemes will be enforced by the police. The penalty for ignoring the prohibition is a fixed penalty notice. Advanced warning signs will be installed, and barriers will be placed at the entrance to the scheme, and monitored by school staff and Bristol City Council staff. All vehicles already parked in the zone before the times of operation will be able to exit without incurring a fixed penalty notice.
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Residents within the School Streets zone are able to exit their road during the zone’s operational hours without requiring an access permit.
If you live in the School Street zone and require access during the times of operation, you can apply for one here. (hyperlink)
Where possible, we encourage all motorists to avoid driving in the zone when in operation. If driving in the zone, we ask that you do so at no more than 5mph.
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The School Street will make it easier for Blue Badge holders to access the school by reducing traffic outside the school gates. Those holding a Blue Badge will be exempt from the restrictions but should still avoid parking on school ‘keep clear’ zigzag markings. We will ask that Blue Badge holders display their Blue Badge clearly in the windscreen of their vehicle.
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We 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.
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No – parents or carers dropping children at school are not 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.
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No, they must be inside the area before it comes into operation. Only staff who have a Blue Badge are exempt.
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Yes – if you are a carer who regularly supports a resident within the zone, you may be eligible for an exemption. Please visit our resident and carer permit page here, which includes details on how to apply.
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Any deliveries will need to adhere to the School Street times of operation. Deliveries should be scheduled outside of closure times, where possible. During the times of operation, delivery drivers can park on surrounding streets and still make deliveries on foot. On occasions where this is not possible, for example if you’re moving home or need a large and heavy item to be delivered, you will be able to use the Bristol School Streets phone line to request access.
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Bristol School Streets aims to encourage and prioritise a safe environment around schools. We hope that parents and carers will support the trial by walking, cycling and scooting to school with their children.
We are aware that some will still need to drive. Where possible, please ‘Park and Stride’ or ‘Scoot from the Boot’, which means driving some of the way and walking/scooting the final 5 to10 minutes to school. It is important to be mindful of local residents and other road users by not obstructing driveways, pavements and public transport routes.
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We are working with the school to promote active travel to school, which includes walking, wheeling, cycling and scooting. Where possible, we will look to identify a suitable park and stride location, where parents/carers can park nearby and walk the last part of their journey. This isn’t always possible, and we will be working with the school to explore alternative options, such as Walking Buses.
Evidence suggests that where School Streets have been implemented, the result is a reduction in car use rather than displacement to surrounding streets. We continue to monitor the impact of the scheme now it has been implemented.
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The street should be visibly calmer, safer and cleaner during these times. Data will be collected and compared before and after the scheme on modes of travel to school, traffic counts, collision data, parking surveys and feedback from the school and local community.
For other queries
If you have a specific query, that has not been answered in this page, please contact us via the below email address.
- This scheme is part of Bristol Schools Streets