Glenrothes school added to Fife pilot banning cars from school gates

Pitcoudie Primary is one of three schools to trial exclusion zones in a bid to tackle the issue of cars causing problems at the start and end of each school day.

An 18-month experimental project is set to get underway - and if successful it could be rolled out to other schools across the region.

The pilot will run for 18 months at a cost of £4000.

Pitcoudie is now joining Denend Primary in Cardenden and St Marie’s Primary in Kirkcaldy in the experiment which will see flashing lights activated to alert parents to the ‘no parking’ rules between 8.30am and 9.30am, and again between 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

The pilot comes after a report in November 2021 which proposed banning non-residential traffic from school entrances at set periods.

At Pitcoudie, it will ban cars from Iona Park at school pick up and drop off times.

Residents and other services will be exempt.

Councillor Craig Walker, convener, said: “There are difficulties in schools across our area with traffic congestion in the mornings and afternoons. It will be interesting to see how this works.”

While the committee rubber-stamped the school’s inclusion, members called for early feedback.

Councillor John Beare pointed out: “It is ten months since the decision was made to roll this out and it will be 28 months before a report comes back to cabinet.

“That is more than two years and that is entirely unacceptable.”