ANPR camera school streets car ban to be trialled

A controversial traffic initiative trial to make streets outside some schools in Oxfordshire safer for children will begin in September.

Roads around Edith Moorhouse and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Carterton will be restricted for 18 months during school drop off and pick up times.

Enforced by ANPR cameras, families will have to park in nearby carparks and walk to school or risk a fine which local headteacher, Brian Morton called 'impractical.'

Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) said: "A school street reduces traffic around the school creating a safer and more pleasant environment where children and their families and carers can make the school run with less risk from moving traffic."

The trial will begin 2nd September and will only operate during term time on school days between 8:15am-9:15am and 2:30pm-3:30pm.

A number of roads which will be monitored with ANPR cameras: Carter's Close, Edgeworth Drive, Home Close, Lavender Place, Richens Drive, Rose Close and Spurrett Gardens, and Lawton Avenue between Alvescot Road junction and Arkell Avenue/Rock Close junction.

Morton, Head teacher of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School disagreed that Carterton was the right place for this trial.

"This will impact most on the parents who don't often bring their children to school.

"Those children with low attendance rates will be even less incentivised to come to school and that has an impact on the safeguarding of those children."

Residents living on affected streets will be able to access their street but will need to register any visitors with the county council.

Christina Bridgman lives on one of the affected roads: "It's frustrating, I live on one of the roads people park on but this trial won't work…if we've got family or friends coming over, we'll now have to register number plates even if it's just for an hour.

"It's going to be difficult, and I think there's going to be a lot of appeals."

Carterton Town Council said it wants to work with the OCC to change how the trial will operate: "This scheme in its current form isn't the right fit for Carterton, we've suggested alternatives like additional parking restrictions, looking at access points at the schools and if they're in the right places.

"It's not our scheme, we're not keen on it and we would welcome any opportunity to improve it."

An OCC spokesperson maintained the schools asked for the trial but the BBC has been told that isn't the case by the headteacher.

"The school street in this area was developed to be trialled after schools asked the council to make the area safer for children going to school.", the spokesperson said.

"We consulted on the proposal to trial these Carterton school streets, giving people the opportunity to share their feedback which was taken into consideration in the decision to trial the safety measure.

"Feedback from local people, discussions with the schools and ongoing monitoring will help to shape the final formal proposal which will be presented for cabinet member decision at a public meeting in 2027."