A new drop-off zone for pupils at two Perthshire primary schools has been warmly welcomed by a local councillor.
The Park and Stride area for Blairgowrie Community Campus was introduced last week.
Blairgowrie and Glens councillor Tom McEwan – who promised the scheme would be developed as part of his 2022 council election campaign – is pleased to see it come to fruition.
A new drop-off and pick-up zone has been created on Hazelwood Road for Newhill Primary School and St Stephen’s RC Primary School. Both schools and the nursery form Blairgowrie Community Campus.
Similar schemes have been developed at schools across Perth and Kinross to improve road safety and encourage children to actively get to school by the likes of walking, cycling or scooting.
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “Work has recently been completed to build a drop-off and pick-up layby on Hazelwood Road in Blairgowrie to assist families with children attending the schools at Blairgowrie Community Campus – Newhill Primary School and St Stephen’s RC Primary School. The new layby has been located on the north side of the road to give children a continuous path to school without needing to cross a busy main road. The project was developed in consultation with local elected members and the local Community Council. We will be liaising with the two primary schools in the near future to involve them in designing signs to promote the site, similarly to those put up on Hatton Road for Rattray Primary School.
“The ‘Park and Stride’ concept is one that the council has used for a number of years to help develop and improve travel options to and from schools – encouraging children and young people and their families to walk, cycle or scooter as part of the school run.”
SNP councillor Tom McEwan is pleased to see the scheme being developed. It follows the introduction of a school exclusion zone (SEZ) a few years ago which he said had been “really successful” and stopped issues with parents/carers blocking driveways at school drop-offs and residents being unable to get out of their driveways and get to their work.
Cllr McEwan said: “I am pleased to see the introduction of a drop off zone for Newhill Primary School in Blairgowrie, based on Hazelwood Road just around the corner from the school this will offer a much needed safe place for kids to be dropped off and collected from school.
“This was a development I promised in my election material in 2022 as it works hand in hand with the SEZ introduced in 2021 to improve safe walking to school for the Newhill pupils. New signage will be developed in collaboration with the pupils and look forward to seeing the designs they develop.”