A scheme to block cars at certain times outside a school in Chadderton has been delayed for a second time, just days before it was due to start.

The borough's second "school street" was set to launch on Monday, September 25 outside Christ Church CE Primary School, on Crawley Way, Chadderton.

The launch date had been confirmed by the council just earlier this month.

What was planned

In a school street, only those with a permit, including residents and businesses, are able to drive inside during school pick-up and drop-off times.

At Christ Church, this would have meant drivers would not be able to pull into Crawley Way, the small road leading up to the school entrance, between 8.15am to 9am and 2.45pm to 3.15pm, on weekdays during term time. The restriction was to be enforced using a barrier.

The Oldham Times: The planThe plan (Image: Oldham Council)

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Delayed a second time

The restrictions had originally been announced back in February, before being delayed later that same month.

Since then, just one such scheme has been rolled out, at St Anne’s Primary School in Royton. In June, council leader Arooj Shah said the delay from February was because there was “a lot more work involved than we’d anticipated, like speaking to residents, consulting with them, doing it tactically, and the traffic regulation orders and everything that you have to put in place.”

Now, the council has confirmed that the school street is to be delayed again, giving no date for when it will go ahead.

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Cllr Chris Goodwin, cabinet member for neighbourhoods at the council, said: “There will be a delay in implementing the new school streets at Christ Church.

“This was after a number of queries were raised by the school.

“We are currently working through them and will hopefully have a new start date soon.

“Our plans for a scheme at Buckstones Primary in Shaw, which starts on October 30, are on track.”

Residents’ frustration over school-run drivers

News of the delay comes amid frustration elsewhere in the borough over delays in action to tackle problem drivers at school pick-up and drop-off times.

One resident in Lees, near Hey with Zion and St Edwards primary schools, claimed she had been punched when asking a school-run driver not to park in front of her driveway, with others calling the situation "out of control".

The area had been due to receive a school street in the original announcement in February, but since then no date for implementation has been announced.