Action on school run parking
TRANSPORT bosses will take action against motorists who park illegally outside school gates and make the streets ‘dangerous and congested places’ for children.
The move forms part of a wideranging masterplan to promote walking and cycling across Greater Manchester, presented yesterday by Olympian Chris Boardman.
The cycling guru has overseen a new report outlining 700 miles of cycle lanes across the region, with main roads transformed to mirror the changes on Manchester’s Oxford Road.
One focus of the report is the school run, which it states ‘has ceased to be anything of the kind.’
It says: “The zones outside our school gates are dangerous, congested places where parents – ironically fearful of the dangers of traffic – drop off their kids by car. This critical part of a child’s daily exercise has become a polluted short journey by car.
“It is contributing to a lack of exercise and a build up of air pollution in residential areas.”
Mr Boardman’s goal is to make walking and cycling the ‘natural choice’ for short trips by creating world-class streets and cycle paths.
To make it happen, a 10-year £1.5bn fund – or £150m a year – is needed, starting with an ‘Active Streets Fund’ in mayor Andy Burnham’s name to kickstart walking and cycling.
The report, commissioned by Mr Burnham, recommends this comes from ‘a variety of sources’ – and promises a return of £8.3bn in public benefits. The masterplan also calls for: 700 miles of cycling routes on main roads, through communities and in green areas that are fit for ‘every 12-year-old’; Walking routes fit for all across difficult junctions, to local schools and shops and transport hubs – signposted with walking times not distance; More powers to enforce traffic offences driving’;
Cycling and walking to be considered in all future road improvements;
Trial street closures to get more people on two wheels.
Mr Burnham said by 2025 he wanted to get three-quarters of residents ‘active’ through sport, exercise and/or active travel. and reduce ‘anti-social