School Street: St John the Baptist C of E Primary School

Trial of a flexible School Street scheme 

Following engagement with residents, parents and pupils, Leicester City Council intends to trial a school street and part time waiting restrictions on the following streets:

  • East Avenue
  • North Avenue
  • Central Avenue
  • The Avenue
  • Dukes Drive (private road)

 

What people told us as part of the engagement

Throughout the summer and autumn of 2025, the council sought the opinions of residents, parents, school staff and pupils over the proposal to implement a school street. 

The majority of people we spoke with wanted something to be done about the current school run situation. 59% of people were in favour of a school street as a solution to the issues. 

A large proportion of attendees at the residents’ public meeting expressed their concerns about access into the school street, but wished for a solution to the issues during the school run. Vehicle access for residents and carers will be permitted, therefore the trial will highlight any issues that arise. Access may then be amended or stopped if necessary. 

School pupils described the distress that they felt around the level of traffic during the school run and the behaviour that it brought out in the parents. 

Alternative suggestions to a school street were:

  • Better enforcement, which is unlikely to be funded or effective with current budgets and legal constraints around enforcement
  • A one-way system, which has not been discounted but is likely to take time to implement and will require full consultation which increases the risk of objections
  • The provision of park and stride facilities

The school have launched the park and stride to the Squash Club car park, and the Brookfield Campus car park on Holmfield Road. There has been extensive promotion of both sites, however there has been limited uptake. We expect the uptake of park and stride to increase once the school street has been implemented. 

 

School street operation timings

The trial school street will operate between 8.15am – 9am and 2.45pm – 3.30pm, Monday to Friday during term time. We can amend these timings during the trial period. During the times of operation, anyone who is already parked within the school street zone, will be able to drive out. People with permits will be able to drive into the zone at all times. 

 

How the roads will be closed

The closure points will be managed by marshals who will place cones at the junction of The Avenue with Knighton Park Road, and the junctions of East Avenue and Central Avenue with Clarendon Park Road, where it is marked ‘closure point’ on the map below. 

Image of a map showing the closure points of the St John the Baptist school street zone.

The marshals will allow anyone who is already parked within the school street to drive out. Any driver with an exception will be allowed through the closure points. The roads will be open to traffic at all other times of the day, weekends, and school holidays. Pedestrians and cyclists will be allowed through at all times. 

During the trial, we will engage with residents and the school community to understand if they would like to trial different arrangements. For example, we could move the closure points to East Avenue only, and review whether that is a more suitable for residents, parents and pupils. 

 

Who will be able to still drive into and out of the school street? 

Pedestrians and cyclists are allowed into and out of the school streets at all times. Anyone already parked within the school street zone can drive out at any time. 

Vehicles that are automatically exempt are:

  • Emergency services
  • Statutory undertakers, e.g. gas repairs and bin collections
  • For the purposes of a medical emergency or with the permission or direction of a police officer
  • Liveried Royal Mail vehicles delivering or collecting mail or parcels
  • School buses and vehicles used to transport children or adults with special access requirements

Other vehicles will be issued with an exemption pass which will give them permission to drive into the school street during the hours of operation. An example of this pass is pictured below.

All residents and businesses within the school street, as well as blue badge holders who require access to the street, will be eligible for an exemption. Information is being sent to people that are eligible for an exemption. 

 

Change of Vehicle

If vehicles are changed, drivers of the exempt vehicles would need to transfer the exemption to the new vehicle by emailing and telling us you have changed your vehicle. We would require copies of the new Vehicle Logbook (known as the V5C) or lease documents.

 

Next steps

In early May 2026, new signs will be put into place at the closure points that show the timings of the school street, similar to the image shown below.

Once those who are eligible for an exemption have received their permit, marshals will begin closing the roads at the school run times. 

During the trial, traffic flows and parking levels will be monitored for both the closure area and in the surrounding streets. This is to determine whether there has been an improvement in congestion and safety in the area, or if there have been any adverse impacts. 

Once the trial school street in place, any comments, suggestions and objections can be sent via email to transport-strategyenquiries@leicester.gov.uk. 

If the scheme is deemed to be having a detrimental effect on the area, the experiment can be amended or stopped. Camera enforcement of the school street may be used after the initial introduction of the restriction with enforcement by marshals. If the experimental scheme is considered a success, the changes to the traffic regulation orders will be made permanent. 

If you have any general queries about the school street, please get in touch via email: transport-strategyenquiries@leicester.gov.uk.