Launch of new School Street at Guilden Sutton C of E Primary School

A new School Street has been launched outside Guilden Sutton Church of England Primary School as part of Cheshire West and Chester Council’s ongoing work to create safer, healthier and more active school journeys for children and families.

The scheme went live at the end of March, introducing timed motor‑vehicle restrictions on Arrowcroft Road and part of Hilltop Road during morning drop‑off and afternoon pick‑up periods. Exemptions are in place for residents, blue badge holders and essential services.

The initiative is being delivered under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO), enabling the Council to trial the changes while gathering feedback from the school community and local residents.

The launch forms part of the Council’s wider commitment to improving  the safety for all of our children around schools, improve air quality, and encourage more children to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school.

Alongside the new School Street, the Council has delivered an extensive programme of education and engagement activities to help families plan safe and sustainable journeys.

These have included:

• A series of newsletters for parents and carers covering road safety, active travel, anti‑idling and visibility during darker months
• A new school walking map showing recommended routes
• Lamppost wraps displaying five‑minute walking distances
• Anti‑idling messaging to improve air quality around the school
• Two Dr Bike sessions offering free bicycle checks and minor repairs
• Scooter and cycle training to build confidence and safety skills
• A Theatre in Education performance and workshops delivered by Wizard Theatre, using interactive storytelling to explore safe and sustainable travel choices

The Council has also worked with local partners to promote park‑and‑stride options, including from the Village Hall car park and the Parish Council car park, helping reduce congestion at the school gate while still enabling a safe and short walk to school.

The scheme has been shaped through ongoing engagement with parents, residents, the Parish Council and the school’s leadership team, including letters, school communications and a community drop‑in session.

The Council will continue to monitor the trial closely, using community feedback and on‑the‑ground data to inform future decisions.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Transport and Highways, Councillor Karen Shore said:

“We are delighted to introduce a School Street at Guilden Sutton C of E Primary School. By reducing traffic at the busiest times of the day, we can create a safer, calmer and healthier environment for children and families.

“This scheme is about making active travel the easy choice—supporting pupils to walk, wheel or cycle to school where they can, and giving parents confidence that the journey is safer.

“We are grateful to the school, local residents and the wider community for working with us, and we look forward to hearing feedback throughout the trial.”

A public consultation on the scheme is open until 1st May 2026.

To provide your feedback please complete this survey: 

School Street Survey.

To request paper copies of the survey or other formats, please contact: 

cheshirewest-schoolstreets@wsp.com

Pictured - Andrew Jones, Cheshire Police, Trisha Paterson, volunteer, Alan Davies, volunteer and Simon Tiplady, volunteer on launch day.