Viewlands School Exclusion Zone
Perth and Kinross Council · 19 November 2025
Back to Economy and Infrastructure Committee — 19 November 2025 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
Our vision is a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality Committee or Board: Economy & Infrastructure Committee Date of Meeting: 19 November 2025 Report Title: Viewlands School Exclusion Zone Report Number: 25/310 Report Author: Daryl McKeown, Senior Engineer, Traffic & Network Organisational Lead: Fraser Crofts, Strategic Lead – Environment & Infrastructure 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this Report is to provide an update on the public consultation on a proposed amended Traffic Regulation Order for a reduced school exclusion zone area around Viewlands Primary School. 1.2 Sections 1. Purpose 2. Recommendations 3. Background/Context 4. Main Issues 5. Proposals 6. Conclusion 7. Impact and Value Assessment 8. Appendices 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Committee: 2.1 Notes the responses from the public consultation. 2.2 Approves the decision to promote a new Traffic Regulation Order for a reduced school exclusion zone.
Page 2
3. Background/Context 3.1 In May 2025, the E&I Committee approved the creation of permanent Traffic Regulation Orders for school exclusion zones at Blairgowrie Community Campus and at Guildtown, Inchview and Kinloch Rannoch primary schools, and the creation of an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order to trial an exclusion zone at Tulloch Primary School. 3.2 The school exclusion zone project was a response to road safety concerns from schools, parents and residents about traffic levels at the school gates. There were two objectives to installing the school exclusion zones – (i) to reduce congestion, and the associated road safety risk, at the school gate and (ii) discourage dependence on vehicular transport by enabling people to walk to and from school. 3.3 The school exclusion zone is an access restriction, rather than a parking restriction. Unauthorised vehicles are not permitted to drive in, out or around the school streets when the scheme is in operation. Signs are located at the entrance to the schemes which have flashing amber beacons to indicate when the scheme is in operation. Only those vehicles displaying a valid permit are exempt from the access restriction. Vehicles parked within the zone without a permit are entitled to remain but cannot move until the operating time finishes. 3.4 As a school exclusion zone is an access restriction, entering the restricted area without a valid permit is a traffic violation and a matter for Police Scotland. Similar to speed limits, local roads authorities can introduce such restrictions but enforcement remains the responsibility of the Police 3.5 The exclusion zone around Viewlands Primary School, Fairview School and Perth Academy was trialled in 2022 as part of our Spaces for People (SFP) programme. The SFP funding from the Scottish Government was to facilitate increased pedestrian activity during the early stages of the Covid pandemic. 4. Main Issues 4.1 While most exclusion zones resulted in reduced traffic movements around most of the schools, the Viewlands school exclusion zone has been problematic from the outset. While many parents voiced support for the Viewlands trial, and compliance by drivers was generally good in the initial months, compliance rates steadily decreased in the following months. Current traffic figures on streets within the zone are similar to pre-exclusion zone levels. 4.2 For any restriction on the road network to work, the public must accept or understand its basis to exist and comply accordingly. It should also be appropriate for the road environment. There are two factors to consider at Viewlands school exclusion zone. Firstly, the zone has multiple accesses which enables drivers to easily travel into and through it. Secondly, there has been a lack of consistent enforcement.
Page 3
4.3 From the outset, Police Scotland’s stated position is that they will not routinely enforce the school exclusion zone but will respond to community concerns about road safety as, and when, resources permit. It is their same position as 30mph speed limits and 20mph speed limits. Restrictions should be appropriate for the road environment in order to be self-regulating and should not rely on a continued Police presence. 4.4 The Viewlands school exclusion zone in its current configuration is impracticable. In the E&I report on May 2025, the Council did not recommend removing the access restriction completely as this would simply reintroduce the congestion and road safety problems at the school gates. It was recommended that the number of streets within the access restriction be reduced to cover the area closer to the schools. 4.5 Although these recommended changes were based on the public consultation exercise last year, they represented a major alteration to the exclusion zone. As a result, it was agreed to carry out a public engagement exercise prior to the commencement of any work on a new Traffic Regulation Order. This was to include a mail-drop to residents in those streets within and adjacent to the original zone and electronic communication through the schools to the parents of school pupils. 4.6 Information letters were mail-dropped to the residents in mid-June. Electronic letters were sent to the three Head Teachers but only two sets were distributed as it was close to the end of the school term. This initial consultation ended in mid-July but only eight responses (from the 321 notified) were received from residents and none from parents. 4.7 This is significantly less than the 136 people who responded to the public consultation at the end of the original trial. The results from that consultation are summarised as follows: • Remove the school exclusion zone 62 people (46%) • Amend the school exclusion zone 17 people (12.5%) • Retain the school exclusion zone 55 people (40%) • Other comments/Neutral 2 people (1.5%) 4.8 Almost all the people who wanted the zone removed or amended were parents or residents adjacent to the zone. Almost all the people who wanted the zone retained were residents within the zone. 4.9 It was decided to re-engage with all residents and parents once everyone was settled into the new school term. In addition to a re-run of the residents’ mail- drop and the parents’ email, everyone would be offered a link to an online survey through the Council’s consultation hub. The letter to the parents containing information about the background to the scheme, and a link to the community engagement hub, is contained in Appendix 1. The letter to the residents, within and adjacent to the current exclusion zone, is shown in Appendix 2.
Page 4
4.10 Prior to the community engagement, a workshop was undertaken with senior pupils at Viewlands Primary School. Following a road safety presentation, there was an interactive discussion about active travel. The pupils understood the advantages of reduced traffic around schools and stated they would be happier to walk all or part of their journey if there were fewer vehicles on the school streets. The majority believed an exclusion zone around Viewlands Primary School was a good idea. 4.11 The project has been discussed with Police Scotland at the Perth & Kinross Road Safety Partnership and the Tayside Road Safety Forum. The Police are fully supportive of any measures to make our roads safer. While they cannot enforce every exclusion zone site all the time, they will respond to community concerns about road safety as resources permit. Police Scotland has agreed to a co-ordinated publicity and enforcement campaign, in partnership with the Council’s Parking Operations team and Communications team, and co- ordinated by the Road Safety Team, at the start of each term. This would include the Tulloch school exclusion zone which is scheduled to come into operation around Tulloch Primary School later this school year. 4.12 The previous and current Ward Councillors have been supportive of the exclusion zone trial to reduce congestion at the school and to promote active travel. They have been engaged throughout the whole project. The current Ward Councillors support the plan detailed in this report to reduce the number of streets covered by the zone to an area closer to the school gate. They have pushed for a co-ordinated education and enforcement plan to ensure better compliance. 4.13 47 people responded, including parents, residents within the new zone and residents adjacent to the new zone. Those residents who provided us with comments in June did not have to reply again, unless they wanted to, as their original comments had been kept on file and were included as part of this engagement. Some residents responded to both engagements but their views have been recorded once.
Page 5
4.14 The results are summarised as follows but the full report is contained in Appendices 3 and 4. Support the idea of a school exclusion zone • Yes: 26 people = 55.32% No: 19 people = 40.43% Support a school exclusion zone at Viewlands • Yes: 24 people = 51.06% No: 21 people = 44.68% Live within current school exclusion zone • Yes: 19 people = 40.43% No: 28 people = 59.57% Live within proposed school exclusion zone • Yes: 6 people = 12.77% No: 41 people = 87.23% Live in school catchment area • Yes: 37 people = 78.72% No: 8 people = 17.02% Would exclusion zone encourage you to walk • Yes: 15 people = 31.91% No: 22 people = 46.81% 4.15 During previous consultations, there was a clearer split between residents and parents. Generally, residents within the zone supported the access restriction, and most parents outside the zone opposed the restriction. The proposed changes to the streets covered by the restriction have affected the responses. Residents within the reduced zone support it. Most residents now outside the zone oppose it. The response from parents has been more divided. More parents expressed support for the reduced zone this time but there is still a significant number that oppose any restriction to vehicle movement. 4.16 Additional comments were received from each of the residents who had written or emailed the Council, and 45 of the 47 people who responded through the consultation hub. Further analysis of the comments indicates the following. As most people remarked on more than one aspect of the scheme, the number of comments exceeds the number of participants. 4.17 24 people support the reduced zone, including one resident of a street in the current zone that will not be in the new one. Two people want the zone restricted further to just cover Oakbank Crescent. This presents a problem on site as there is no turning facility on Oakbank Place or Fraser Terrace. 4.18 Twelve people want to keep the existing zone. One of the responses was a petition from all the residents of Murray Terrace wanting it retained but making no reference to any of the other streets that were proposed for removal. Despite a slight majority of those who responded being in favour of an exclusion zone, many questioned the effectiveness of the scheme if the restriction is not complied with or enforced.
Page 6
4.19 21 complained about the lack of enforcement and two people want the exclusion zone removed if it was not going to be enforced. One person complained about the lack of enforcement of the 20mph speed limit, and two people requested enforcement against car engines idling. Four people complained about parents parking on the School Keep Clear markings and two people reported regular parking across dropped kerbs, obstructing both pedestrian and vehicular movement. 4.20 23 people oppose the school exclusion zone or consider it un-necessary, four adding that the whole project is a complete waste of time and resources. One person stated the project was ineffective as there was still traffic on the streets because the Council permitted staff and residents within the zone. 4.21 Eight of these people objected because the restriction pushes traffic into adjacent streets and two complained that no Park & Stride sites, remote from the public road, had been provided. Two people suggested building a car park on the un-used Perth Academy playing area and one person requested a footpath from Viewlands Road directly to the primary school. 4.22 Three people supported the road safety and traffic calming measures detailed in the letter/email. Five people requested additional speed reduction measures such as speed cushions. One person asked for all streets to be covered by double yellow lines. This would permit drop-off/pick-up but prevent parking. One person stated there was no need for additional traffic calming. 4.23 Two people want the footway along the east of Fairies Road moved into the school grounds and the carriageway reinstated. This footway scheme was planned before the exclusion zone project and will remain in place. Four people wanted more school crossing patrollers, including a reinstatement of the patroller at the Oakbank Road end of Fairies Road. This post has been vacant for a number of years and the Council has been unable to recruit a patroller. Two residents of Fairies Road were opposed to the introduction of a Puffin crossing facility on Fairies Road. One person wanted the recently installed Puffin crossing on Viewlands Road relocated nearer to the school gate. This was assessed at the time as the preferred crossing site but the location of the mature trees along the road edge prohibited it. 4.24 One person requested a residents’ parking scheme to deter parents from parking in their street. Perth & Kinross Council does not currently operate a residents’ parking scheme. A parking permit scheme operates in Perth city centre and part of Crieff which allows parking but does not guarantee a space. Two people stated the exclusion zone prevented family and friends from visiting them, even though the restriction only operates for two short periods of time each weekday during school term.
Page 7
4.25 Three people felt the flashing beacon signs were too big. These are non- standard sign and are not contained within the Signs Regulations, so they required non-prescribed signs (NPS) approval from Transport Scotland and are based on the signs trialled in Edinburgh. As the school exclusion zone moves forward, permission will be sought for a smaller sign of the same design. 5. Proposals 5.1 Although there is a slight majority of those who responded in favour of the school exclusion zone project, there remains a lot of opposition. As the wider exclusion zone is impractical, and removing the access restriction would reintroduce congestion at the school gates, it is recommended that the smaller exclusion zone is implemented. 5.2 A new Traffic Regulation Order will be created and the electronic signs repositioned. The new zone will cover Oakbank Crescent, the upper section of Oakbank Place and the upper section of Murray Place. This will ensure both vehicular and pedestrian accesses to the primary school are located within the exclusion zone. 5.3 Traffic surveys will be undertaken by the Road Safety Team before and after the changes are implemented to record traffic volumes and vehicle speeds. Ongoing monitoring to assess changes in travel patterns will be programmed as part of the publicity campaign each term. 5.4 Fraser Terrace needs to be retained within the school exclusion zone as there is no turning facility at the top of the street which would force drivers to exit through the school exclusion zone. 5.5 It is not proposed to retain Murray Terrace and Viewlands Place within the zone. They will be used as drop-off/pick-up areas. Due to the poor compliance at present, current traffic levels on these streets are similar to pre- exclusion zone levels. If the exclusion zone was removed completely, school traffic would return to these streets anyway. 5.6 Discussion is ongoing between the Road Safety Team in Traffic & Network, Education & Learning Service and the Public Transport Unit to promote a self- regulating one-way system through the campus. This project will help lower vehicle speeds and reduce the risk of conflict between the various road users. A series of remedial measures have been identified, including painted walkways, information signs, protective bollards, re-allocated parking and disabled parking bays. The Road Safety Team is preparing consultation drawings of the proposals which, if agreed, will be installed later this calendar year.
Page 8
5.7 The various speed projects detailed in the May E&I report and in the engagement letters/emails will be progressed in future years by the Road Safety Team through the Road Safety and the Active Travel budgets. These include the following: • A Puffin crossing on Fairies Road • Reconfiguration of the Murray Terrace/Viewlands Road junction • Priority system on Viewlands Road uphill of Murray Terrace • Footpath across eastern section of Perth Academy frontage • Footway along the south side of Viewlands Road to connect to the Glasgow Road 6. Conclusion 6.1 It is hoped reduction of the school exclusion zone to streets closer to the schools will help encourage better compliance with the access restriction and reduce the need for regular enforcement. 6.2 Promotion of, and compliance with, the reduced school exclusion zone closer to the school will help make the streets around the schools safer by reducing the risk of conflict between the various road users. 6.3 Promotion of, and compliance with, the reduced school exclusion zone closer to the school will help reduce dependence on vehicular transport and encourage active modes of transport. 7. Impact and Value Assessment 7.1 https://www.pkc.gov.uk/media/54568/Viewlands-School-Exclusion- Zone/pdf/School_Exclusion_Zone_Programme.pdf?m=1762779347143 8. Appendices 8.1 Appendix 1 - Community engagement letter to parents 8.2 Appendix 2 - Community engagement letter to residents 8.3 Appendix 3 - Community engagement report (Xcel) 8.4 Appendix 4 - Community engagement report (pdf)