School cameras to cut 'abuse' from drivers

2 hours ago

Hannah MillerPolitics reporter

News image — Bristol City Council said staff members enforcing the scheme have been receiving abuse

BBC A caretaker dressed in hi-vis waits by bollards with signs saying "Bristol School Streets" — Bristol City Council said staff members enforcing the scheme have been receiving abuse

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras could be introduced outside four Bristol primary schools to help enforce road closures during pick-up and drop-off.

The School Streets scheme bans the driving of cars outside schools at the beginning and end of the day. It is implemented by school staff, who Bristol City Council said have received abuse from motorists.

Transport Committee chairman Ed Plowden said: "Unfortunately on these four sites the schools have said that they're really finding it difficult, so we're trying to put in a bit of extra support to make sure that it works for them."

A consultation is open until 20th October.

A child cycles away from the camera alongside an adult. There are cars parked on the side of the road. — School Streets aims to get more children walking, wheeling and cycling to school

School Streets were introduced in Bristol in February 2020 and have since expanded to 18 schools.

"We've had this set-up for a few years and our resident caretaker has to sit out in all weathers to stop people coming down the street," said Emma, as she waited for her children outside Chester Park Junior School in Fishponds.

Kelly, who also has a child at Chester Park, welcomed the move and hoped people would "think twice" about driving along a street that is closed.

"We're tired of having people coming down the road the wrong way", she said. "It's only a matter of time before someone gets knocked over."

Flight disruption after 'connectivity issues'

IDF and colonel may feature in Gaza aid workers' inquest

Plans for city centre loop bus and one-hour ticket

Chester Park, Minerva Primary Academy, St Werburgh's Primary School (Mogg Street site), and Whitehall Primary School would all get cameras under the plans.

The cameras, paid for out of Clean Air Zone funding, would remove the need for school staff to steward the closures.

The consultation stated sites were chosen partly on the basis of collision and traffic data - though publicly available council maps show no incidents since the scheme was introduced.