Lasswade and King’s Park primary schools’ traffic bans approved

A ban on traffic outside two primary schools during certain times of the day will be made permanent despite opposition from teachers.

The School Streets project saw drivers restricted from the area around the two schools during the times when pupils are travelling to and from the buildings. It aimed to crackdown on youngsters being dropped off outside the schools and vehicles turning in the streets as other children arrived on foot or by bike.

Last week Midlothian Council agreed to make the trial ban permanent, however, councillors called for more reports on the impact of rolling it out to other schools before committing to any extensions to the scheme.

The pedestrian and cycle zones created outside King’s Park Primary School in Dalkeith and Lasswade Primary, Bonnyrigg, have been on trial for over a year.

A report to councillors revealed that the majority of parents and carers, local residents and senior pupils surveyed supported it. But, it said, while most wanted to see the scheme continue teachers were less keen.

It said: “The only group with a majority against continuing the scheme were the school staff, who have also been restricted from driving to or from school at the start or finish of the school day. There were several suggestions (from staff and others) that staff should be eligible for permits as residents are.”

Councillors agreed to make the current bans permanent and look at the costs of rolling out the scheme across Midlothian.