Use this page to find out more and have your say on proposals to introduce a School Street in Bath on Archway Street and Excelsior Street in Spring 2026.
Why we're consulting
We are working with parents and staff at the Widcombe Infant and Junior Schools to create a safer, calmer environment outside the school gates.
To support this, we are proposing to introduce a School Street, restricting access for motor vehicles on the full length of Archway Street and Excelsior Street during school drop-off and pick-up, while ensuring essential vehicle access for those that need it, including residents living on these streets.
Before we progress plans, we invite you to find out more, attend a drop-in consultation event, and share your views via a survey. See the ‘Have your say’ section below.
The consultation closes at 5pm on Thursday 26 February.
About School Streets
School Streets use timed vehicle restrictions outside of schools, to create safer, calmer spaces during the school run.
Restrictions can apply to part of a street, the full-length of a street, or several streets, and usually last between 30 and 60 minutes during drop-off and pick-up.
During operating hours, essential access to a School Street is maintained for those that require it via automatic exemptions and permit exemptions.
School Streets are typically enforced through signage, trained school and/or volunteer stewards, and temporary barriers.
Improving safety for children
Improving safety for children is at the heart of the programme. By restricting vehicle access during the busy school run, School Streets reduce the number of cars manoeuvring, parking or queueing where children are gathering.
Schools also work closely with families to promote safe behaviours, such as careful crossing, considerate parking outside the School Street and slower driving on nearby streets.
School Streets have been introduced successfully across the country, with many reporting calmer and more predictable conditions that lower the risk of collisions.
Encouraging active travel
Encouraging active travel is another integral part of the School Streets programme that helps to reduce the number of vehicles entering the area at school times, rather than simply moving traffic onto surrounding streets.
Participating schools run ongoing campaigns to encourage more families to walk, cycle or use public transport for all or part of their journey. These activities help raise awareness of the benefits of active travel for children's health and wellbeing.
Benefits of a School Street
- Fewer vehicles outside the school gates, reducing the risk of collisions and improving the safety of children
- Safer and more pleasant walking, cycling and wheeling routes
- More children travelling actively
- Better physical health and focus in class
- A calmer start and end to the school day
- A calmer environment for residents living in or near school streets due to fewer vehicles
Our proposals
We are proposing a School Street outside the Widcombe Infants and Junior Schools to tackle congestion that puts children and families waiting to enter or exit the school at risk.
Timed restrictions
To create the School Street, we are proposing to restrict motor vehicle access on the full length of Archway Street and Excelsior Street during the times set out below. Essential access is maintained for those who need it, including residents living on these streets.
Proposed restriction times (Monday to Friday, term-time only):
- Mornings: 8:20am to 9am
- Afternoons: 2:50pm to 3:30pm
For more information about essential access, see 'Who can access during timed restrictions' below.
Map showing the extent of the School Street, the location of temporary barriers and position of School Street signage.
How the school street will be managed
Clear signage (a legal requirement) will be installed at all entry points to the School Street to show when restrictions are in operation. The proposed sign locations are shown on the map above.
Trained volunteer and school stewards will be present during operating hours to welcome families, put up and remove temporary barriers (stored at the school), and manage access for authorised vehicles and permit holders.
See below for who can access the School Street during operating hours.
Illustration of a Pedestrian and Cycle Zone sign typically used at the entrance of School Streets promoting the timed restrictions
Who can access during timed restrictions
Please expand the following sections to find out who would be able to access the School Street during timed restrictions.
- Vehicles displaying a Blue Badge
- Emergency services (e.g. police, fire, ambulance)
- Statutory service vehicles (e.g. water/sewerage companies)
- Postal/courier company vehicles (not delivery drivers in private vehicles)
- Council-organised school transport
- Health/social care providers
- Vehicles delivering or collecting large goods
- Vehicles already parked in the School Street needing to leave
- Residents with a vehicle registered to a property on the School Street requiring access during timed restrictions (vehicles already parked in the area can leave without a permit)
- Parents or carers of a child with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or accessibility needs
- Visitors providing essential school services (e.g. a school nurse)
- Parents
- School staff
- Employees of local businesses
- Delivery drivers in private (i.e. non-company) vehicles
- Residents who do not live on the School Streets
We will start the permit application process subject to the outcomes of this public consultation and a decision to proceed with the scheme.
Have your say
To submit your feedback on our proposal to introduce a School Street on Archway Street and Excelsior Street, as outlined in ‘Our proposals’ above, please complete the online survey before 5pm on Thursday 26 February 2026.
Please ensure you have read and understood the proposals outlined on this page before responding. You may wish to attend our drop-in event before completing the survey (see below).
Get support
If you are unable to use the internet, support is available from local B&NES libraries and information centres, or you can send a letter clearly stating whether you support or object to the scheme and the grounds for this to:
Widcombe School Street TRO Consultation 25-072,
The School Streets Team,
Bath & North East Somerset Council,
Lewis House,
Manvers Street,
Bath BA1 1JG
Drop-in event
We are holding a drop-in event at Widcombe Infants School on Tuesday 10 February, 2026 between 3:20pm and 7pm.
We ask residents to arrive after 3:45pm, once school pick up has finished, so we can manage attendance.
This is a good opportunity to meet the team and to ask questions about the design and how School Streets work.
Next steps
We will consider feedback received from this formal public consultation and summarise these in a report to the deciding officer (the Director of Place Management).
If plans are supported, we will:
- make any necessary amendments before finalising the design
- invite applications for permit exemptions
- train stewards and work with the school to encourage more active travel and promote safe driving behaviours
- launch the School Street in May 2026
Monitoring and review
If a decision is made to proceed, we would install the scheme and monitor traffic and travel behaviour to assess the School Street’s effectiveness, drawing on baseline counts gathered before launch. We may also monitor air quality where required. Adjustments are made as needed.
Keep informed
To receive updates on the proposals for Widcombe's School Street, please subscribe to our e-newsletter.
Find out more about the programme and the development of School Streets on our School Streets webpage.
Traffic Regulation Orders
These are legal documents which follow a standard wording and format.
View the legal notices for this TRO Consultation 25-072.
Find out more about how we decide on changes to road layouts using Traffic Regulation Orders.