A SCHEME that aims to ban cars from streets outside schools during school-run time is due to be piloted in Amblecote and Wordsley.

Dudley Council has been working on a pilot plan for roads near Peter’s Hill Primary School in Amblecote and Brook Primary School at Wordsley.

The School Streets scheme aims to help cut congestion in busy areas and improve safety around schools, council bosses have said.

Under the proposals, most motorists would be banned from driving on selected roads from 8.15am to 9.15am and 2.30pm to 3.45pm Monday to Friday during term time.

The streets affected by Peter's Hill would be Beaumont Drive, Broomehill Close and Peters Hill Road (cul-de-sac to school entrance); while the streets with restrictions by the Brook School would be George Street, Oakfield Close, Oak Park Road (between the two junctions of Lyndhurst Drive).

Councillor Damian Corfield, Dudley Council's cabinet member for highways and environment, said: “Dudley Council wants to find the best ways to improve road safety for school runs and we are dedicated to supporting more children to use active travel for their ongoing health and wellbeing.

“We are pleased to be piloting this innovative scheme, which could also help to reduce pollution in the areas, and I would like to thank both schools for their ongoing support as we prepare to put these temporary orders in place.”

The scheme would be enforced by West Midlands Police, with anyone contravening the order possibly facing a fixed penalty notice.

Exemptions would apply for residents, people with disabilities, residential carers, emergency vehicles and school staff.

The local authority successfully applied for £72,000 of funding from the West Midlands Combined Authority to make the pilot possible.

Dr Rob Clinton, Dudley Council’s cabinet member for climate change, said: “We are really excited to trial this scheme, which could have a big beneficial impact on air quality in the locality of the schools taking part.

“There are several other authorities including Solihull, Birmingham and Walsall Council that have already successfully implemented similar orders at some of their school localities.”

Council chiefs said there has been extensive engagement regarding the plans, with further consultation expected to start within the next month.

An experimental traffic regulation order is to be advertised and, if implemented, will be monitored for a minimum of 12 months after it has come into force, before it is decided whether the scheme is to become permanent.