A car ban outside eight Oldham primary schools as part of a safety scheme is set to be enforced by police.

Roads surrounding eight schools in the borough will be closed to all traffic during pick-up and drop-off times as part of the School Streets initiative being trialled by Oldham Council.

Residents, emergency services, and blue badge holders will still be allowed access to the roads but households and businesses within the area will require a permit.

Details on the enforcement of the initiative have been sparse but The Oldham Times has recently learnt that the roads affected during the trial will be monitored by police.

The schemes are being introduced around: St Edward’s and Hey with Zion in Lees, St Anne’s in Royton, Northmoor Academy in Coldhurst, Christ Church in Chadderton, Corpus Christi in Chadderton – where the measures will also assist with Stanley Road Primary – and St Luke’s in Chadderton.

According to Oldham Council, the enforcement of the School Streets will be carried out by police visits with officers able to issue penalty charge notices.

An experimental traffic regulation order will also restrict vehicles from entering or exiting the School Streets at specified times.

Signage, one-way systems, parking restrictions, bollards, road humps, and changes to corners and gullies are set to be installed as part of the initiative.

Other areas of the country trialing the initiative are using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras to enforce the scheme.

A spokesperson from Oldham Council said the local authority is not currently able to use ANPR cameras to enforce the School Streets but is in the process of applying to the Department for Transport to be able to do so in the future.

Residents and businesses near to the roads affected have been informed by letter about the details of the schemes and the local authority has said there will be opportunities over the coming months to give feedback.

The School Streets initiative, backed by Dame Sarah Storey, aims to make roads safer for pupils, reduce traffic and parking pressures outside schools, cut air pollution, and encourage families to walk and cycle.

Dame Sarah Storey, Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, said: “I am delighted to see the commitment from Oldham Council in bringing School Streets to sites across the borough.

“The safety and health of children is of paramount importance and the facilities provided by a School Street also benefit residents who live near schools too.

“Whether it’s to reduce the danger from poorly parked vehicles outside the school gates, reduce the number of idling engines polluting the air or to ensure the safety of children crossing roads with less vehicle traffic, there are few arguments against installing these in more locations and so I hope to see the success of these trials lead to more schools and residents near the schools asking for similar in their neighbourhood.”