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Cardiff road safety scheme sees school streets closed to cars

BBC Lansdowne Primary School, CardiffBBC
Streets outside five Cardiff schools, including Lansdowne Primary, are being closed to cars at pick up and drop off times

Cars have been banned from streets outside five Cardiff schools as part of a road safety scheme.

Access will be restricted to residents and blue badge holders from 08:30 to 09:15 GMT and 14:45 to 15:45 GMT Monday to Friday.

The closure was launched at the city's Lansdowne Primary and will be monitored for 18 months with a view to rolling it out city-wide.

Lansdowne head teacher Michelle Kinsey said she had already seen benefits.

"Traffic congestion has always been an issue which we have tried to deal with," she said.

"Five years ago I used to find myself putting cones out at the start and end of the day.

"For me it been a real welcome and we've seen a significant difference already."

She said she would like to get children "walking to school, cycling, scooting."

Lansdowne head teacher Michelle Kinsey
Head teacher Michelle Kinsey welcomed the changes which could be rolled out city wide

"We are starting to look at that now," she said.

The other schools involved are Ysgol Gymraeg Melin Gruffydd, Ysgol Pencaerau Primary School, Ysgol Peter Lea Primary School and Llandaff City Church in Wales Primary School.

Councillor Caro Wild, cabinet member for strategic planning and transport, said: "When we look back in 10 years' time we will think it was crazy that we were allowing cars to drive around schools' gates at the beginning and end of the school day.

"There's real problems in cities like Cardiff, and it's causing the early deaths of all of us actually, but particularly vulnerable people, particularly in inner city areas, particularly young people."