A crackdown on cars at drop off and pick up times outside 20 Glasgow schools is to be made permanent.

Car-free zones, now being called the ‘School Streets’ programme, were introduced outside the schools last year as part of efforts to improve road safety and reduce harmful emissions.

The council is now in the process of making the experimental traffic regulation orders into permanent arrangements in 19 areas, and covering 20 schools.

At a full council meeting, Cllr Angus Millar, the city’s transport convener, said: “We launched the School Streets programme with a pilot of school car-free zones in August 2019, focused on six primary schools initially. 

“The pilot saw a 69% reduction in vehicles identified outside those schools during the morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.

“We also know from research conducted across Scotland by Edinburgh Napier University that school street closures can improve the number of children walking, cycling and wheeling to school without creating road safety problems.”

Cllr Millar said the successful pilot had allowed the programme to be extended so there are now 48 schools with car-free zones in place. He then confirmed: “We recently authorised 19 school car-free zones for phase two to be made permanent.”

He added: “I’m delighted that these schools will now benefit from the road safety protections that are offered by the School Streets programme on a permanent basis.”

Restrictions are in place for 45 minute periods in the morning and afternoon when pupils arrive and leave school. Anyone driving in the zone is at risk of a fine.

Council officials are now referring to the scheme as ‘School Streets’ rather than car-free zones as there are some exemptions which allow some vehicles, such as residents, to drive through the area.

One of the 19 new permanent zones will cover both Merrylee Primary and Our Lady of Annunciation Primary.

The council is also trying to identify where “road safety interventions” can be rolled out at schools which are unsuitable for full car-free zones. An update on that work will be presented to a council committee in coming weeks.

The 20 schools where car-free zones are now being made permanent are: Battlefield Primary, Blairdardie Primary, Cadder Primary, Carntyne Primary, Dunard Primary, Gowanbank Campus, Hyndland Primary, Kelvindale Primary, Kings Park Primary, Merrylee Primary, Our Lady of the Annunciation Primary, Mosspark Primary, Parkview Primary, Scotstoun Primary, St Angela’s Primary, St Anne’s Primary, St Bernard’s Primary, St Fillan’s Primary, St Paul’s Primary (Shettleston), St Paul’s Primary (Whiteinch).