The number of School Streets in Greater Manchester is set to increase to 60 in the next year as part of a wider programme to boost the number of children walking, wheeling and cycling to school.
Last October, Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey and Mayor Andy Burnham wrote to schools across the city-region inviting them to develop their own ‘School Street’ - to limit traffic during drop off and pick up time.
The ambition to boost the number of School Streets to 100 by 2028 was set out by the mayor in his most recent manifesto, with Dame Sarah Storey tasked with taking the commitment forward with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
£1.3m of active travel funding has been allocated for the delivery of new and enhanced School Streets in Greater Manchester.
The programme has had a strong response across the city-region so far, with all 10 Local Authorities requesting funding to deliver new schemes, with the number of schemes in operation set to increase from 37 to 60 in the next year.
Active Travel Commissioner Dame Sarah Storey said: “We are taking the necessary steps to make it safe for children to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school in Greater Manchester. This should be a fun time of day for them where they can let off steam before starting the school day or one their way home.
“I’m pleased that we have had such a strong response to our initial call for expressions of interest for School Streets last Autumn and am looking forward to seeing as many of those as possible having a suitable solution found.
“Good progress is being made and I expect this to now accelerate so that by July 2026 and the end of the next academic year, the number of School Streets in operation will have increased to 60.
“As outlined in the Mayor’s manifesto, the long-term ambition is to increase this figure to 100 by 2028 and in the next year I will be working with TfGM and local authorities across Greater Manchester to develop and implement new schemes, as well as improve existing schemes where needed.
“As part of that work I am also keen to learn how we can really strengthen the collaboration between schools and their communities by using their School Street as a catalyst for change, as well as exploring enforcement solutions that enables each scheme to run without the need for volunteers, across a range of different locations.
“It is essential a permanent solution that doesn't try to rely on volunteers is found to ensure every School Streets is viable, long-term and will therefore benefit school pupils and communities across our city-region for years to come.”
Currently, around a third of traffic at peak times in the morning or afternoon is from children being taken to school. Reducing reliance on car trips and encouraging healthier, more active lifestyles is key to improving health and wellbeing – with 22% of reception aged children and 39% of Year 6 children overweight or obese in Greater Manchester.
Meanwhile, research shows just half of Greater Manchester’s residents feel it is safe for children to walk to school – and just 42% believe it is safe for children to cycle to school.
A School Street consists of a range of measures outside to limit traffic during drop off and pick up time and create a pleasant child-friendly environment when the school gate is busiest.
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