Decision details

School Streets and Play Streets

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Purpose:

This report recommends the preparation of a Council policy framework relating to the approval of temporary road closures for Play Streets and details of a pilot School Streets scheme.

Decision:

That (a) in relation to School Streets:-

(i)    a pilot school streets scheme is approved;

(ii)  the school streets selection policy and prioritisation procedure is approved; and

(iii)the impact of School Streets be monitored and assessed before deciding whether these should be made permanent, as well as identifying opportunities to expand the scheme to other suitable locations next year; and

(b) in relation to Play Streets, officers are authorised to undertake a pilot scheme to help shape future Council policy relating to the approval of temporary road closures for street play events and develop further details/application forms, etc.

 

Reasons for the decision:

SCHOOL STREETS

 

To reduce volume of traffic using roads past school gates, both school-run and through-traffic.

 

To reduce the number of pupils arriving at the school gate by car.

 

To increase the number of pupils walking and cycling to school.

 

To improve air quality in and around school gates.

 

 

PLAY STREETS

 

To enable the City Council to respond to the interest the public have in holding play events.

 

To allow officers to follow an approved policy when assessing applications for play events.

 

To allow any non-highway matters relating to the refusal / acceptance of such events to be referred to a Senior Officer in Strategic Transport, Sustainability and Infrastructure.

 

Alternative options considered:

SCHOOL STREETS

 

No alternative options have been considered as this is a pilot scheme of proposed school streets. The schemes will be monitored to measure if they have been successful.

 

 

PLAY STREETS

 

Authorising road closures for street parties is a service that the Council currently provides to the people of Sheffield. When it receives an application, the impact of the closure on local traffic is assessed in terms of the location, the timing of the closure and what other works are in the vicinity of the proposed closure.

 

Included in the pack that is sent out to the applicant is a consultation letter that is to be sent out to the other residents on the road asking for their opinion on the proposed closure. Any objections to the closure are taken into account and may result in the rejection of the application for the street party.

 

This approach has been widely accepted by the local residents and it is rare that an applicant is unhappy with the Council’s decision.

 

The Council considers applications for play events in the same manner as the current approach to street parties, but its decisions to refuse applications have been met with mixed reactions as the policy framework is very different.

 

It is therefore felt that a formal policy relating to street play events specifically is of paramount importance.

 

Publication date: 28/11/2019

Date of decision: 27/11/2019

Effective from: 05/12/2019

Accompanying Documents: