A trial scheme to improve safety for pupils travelling to and from school will be introduced outside Minster CofE Primary School.
The School Streets scheme temporarily restricts motor vehicle access at drop-off and pick-up times during term time. It aims to make the school entrance safer, encourage walking and cycling, and cut pollution around the school.
Wiltshire Council is running the 12-month trial at six schools across the county, all of which requested to take part. At Minster School, an automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera is proposed to enforce the zone. Residents in the roads affected by the School Streets, plus emergency services, will receive exemptions to travel through the zone. Other exemptions can be considered on a case-by-case basis, including Blue Badge holders or school buses.
Parents will also have access to free permits for the Civic Centre car park through the Ride and Stride initiative, encouraging families to park nearby and walk the final stretch. The trial is expected to begin after the Easter holidays in April 2026.
Headteacher James Hobbs said, “I am pleased to have been considered for this project as at the heart of the project is children’s safety and enabling all the children at The Minster to safely arrive and leave the local area which surrounds the school.”
Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, said, “We want to hear from as many people as possible to ensure the scheme works for these five communities.
“This forthcoming consultation will give residents, parents, and stakeholders the opportunity to help shape the final schemes, and all feedback gathered will also be used to refine designs and inform any future rollouts of the SchoolStreets programme, should other schools request it.”
Residents can share feedback during the consultation, which runs until Sunday 15th December. For details visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/school-streets.
Other schools taking part include Aloeric Primary, Melksham; Fynamore Primary, Calne; Queen’s Crescent Primary, Chippenham; and Staverton Primary and Emmaus School, Staverton.
Pictured: Minster Primary School (Google Maps)
