Families could be banned from driving near six Dundee primary schools if councillors approve new proposals to make schools safer.
The Safer School Streets initiative aims to discourage driving to and from school and hopes pupils will take up more active forms of travel such as walking, scooting or cycling.
A national survey revealed the number of pupils being driven to school in the city is still above the Scottish local authority average despite an upturn in active travel.
Fintry Primary School has been earmarked as the first in line for the driving ban, which is due to be discussed at Dundee City Council’s city development committee on Monday.
Under the plans, a part time prohibition of driving would be introduced to non-residents from Monday to Friday on school days from 8.30am to 9.15am and from 3pm to 3.30pm.
Mark Flynn, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said: “We have already put a considerable amount of work into challenging attitudes, the physical environment and enforcement action which has been largely supported by the schools and communities. But there is still a need to do more.
“A one size fits all police simply wouldn’t work because of the locations of some schools and the staggered start and finish time at our secondaries.
“That is why we have looked carefully at all of the factors that need to be considered and are proposing an initial six schools/campuses for priority intervention.”
Residents of the school streets would be exempt from the driving prohibition along with emergency vehicles and contracted taxis for school transport.
All other vehicles will be subject to enforcement from Police Scotland.
The five other campuses listed for action are Downfield Primary School, Craigiebarns Primary School, North East Campus, which includes Longhaugh and St Francis primary schools, Coldside Campus, which consists of Rosebank and Our Lady’s primary schools, and St Andrew’s Primary School.
A one size fits all police simply wouldn’t work because of the locations of some schools and the staggered start and finish time at our secondaries.”
Similar part time driving restrictions have been in place at St Mary’s Primary School in Lochee and Forthill Primary School in Broughty Ferry since 2013.
Active travel route improvements will also continue to be developed at the city’s eight secondary schools as part of the School Travel Plans.
Comparable driving prohibition schemes have been successful in creating safer spaces for pupils in towns and cities across the UK, according to city chiefs.
The report also recommends that a temporary post, funded by Sustrans Places for Everyone programme, is created to implement the scheme across the city by 2025.
