The Ferns Primary Academy launches School Streets scheme in Bolton

Road safety initiatives and transportation concerns continue to impact communities across the country, highlighting ongoing debates over how children travel to their classrooms. The Bolton News reports that The Ferns Primary Academy on Plodder Lane officially launched a School Streets scheme to make journeys safer for children. Placed into action on Monday, September 14, the initiative controls vehicle access to Westend Street during the morning and afternoon school runs to encourage walking, cycling, and wheeling.

The scheme in Bolton operates during specific time windows on school days, restricting general entry while allowing access for residents, workers, school staff, and emergency vehicles. Trained volunteers and staff manage the entry points during these closures. According to reporting by The Bolton News, Rabiya Jiva, executive member for children’s services at Bolton Council, praised the rollout. It’s encouraging to see that the success of School Streets across the UK is now being seen in Bolton too, Jiva stated, adding that it is vital to keep children safe while they travel under their own steam.

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The Ferns Primary Academy follows four other institutions in the area that previously adopted the format: Kearsley West Primary School, St. Bedes Primary Academy, Sharples Primary School, and The Gates Primary School. Each of those locations trialled the arrangement for a single day prior to permanent implementation, drawing positive feedback ratings. Broader adoption figures show that Greater Manchester hosts more than 40 School Streets schemes, whereas London has introduced more than 700. National data indicates that the school run remains a hazardous window for child road accidents, with nearly three-quarters of incidents occurring during standard arrival and departure hours.

Wider transit challenges are also drawing scrutiny elsewhere in the region. BBC coverage details an incident in Wigan where three teenage boys fell through the window of a double-decker bus on Bolton Road in Ashton-in-Makerfield. The vehicle had stopped when the children fell from the top deck. Greater Manchester Police confirmed that two 13-year-olds and a 14-year-old sustained injuries in the fall, though their conditions were not considered life-threatening, and all three boys were released from hospital before the weekend.

St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School issued guidance to students following the incident, urging them to remain seated on the upper deck. In a statement reported by the BBC, head teacher Mark Dumican noted that the school is collaborating with the police and Vision Bus Company to establish the circumstances of the event. While police initially described the occurrence as an accident, the BBC also contacted the bus operator regarding reports that the full window and frame dislodged from its holdings.

Meanwhile, similar grassroots pressure for safer routes has manifested in London. Brixton Buzz reported that parents, carers, and pupils gathered outside Judith Kerr Primary School in Herne Hill to unveil road safety banners created by children. The campaign followed high traffic levels and a December incident in which a driver crashed through the school’s fence into the playground.

Local figures, including Member of Parliament Helen Hayes and Councillor Margy Newens, attended the banner unveiling to support the students. Two petitions were presented during the event, including one organized by a young student calling for a safer school street and reduced pollution. Air pollution monitoring at the Judith Kerr site, active since 2021, previously recorded nitrogen dioxide levels exceeding World Health Organization guidelines by over three times during peak school run hours. A school travel survey at the London primary revealed that while a portion of respondents currently drive, a vast majority prefer active transport options supported by slower traffic, wider pavements, and separated cycle lanes.