New weekday road closures are being introduced outside Potters Gate Primary School to cut traffic and improve safety at busy drop-off and pick-up times.

From next Monday (November 24), Beavers Road and Potters Gate will be closed to motor traffic from 8am to 9am and from 3pm to 4pm every weekday during school term times.

Surrey County Council is implementing a School Street scheme around Potters Gate School to create safer, healthier journeys for children.

The timed closures aim to reduce congestion and air pollution outside the school, encouraging parents and pupils to walk, cycle, scoot or park and stride from local car parks instead. There will be clear signing on the entrances and in advance of the closures.

Motorists should not drive down these roads during the timed closures and should use other local roads instead to avoid being issued with a fine. Falkner Road will remain open to allow vehicle access to the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) via The Hart.

The timed restrictions will be enforced by cameras. Only residents who have applied for an exemption for vehicles registered to their address will be eligible to drive into the zone at the restricted times. Carers for residents will also be eligible to apply for an exemption.

This will be the second School Street scheme in Surrey. The first was implemented on Bullers Road on the approach to Heath End School last spring.

Cllr Matt Furniss, county council cabinet member for highways, transport and economic growth, said: “By introducing a School Street around Potters Gate Primary School, we aim to reduce the amount of traffic on the road, improve air quality and create a more pleasant, safer environment for everyone. We will monitor the implementation, but I hope it encourages more families to walk, cycle or scoot to school when they can."

The Potters Gate School Street is being implemented using an experimental traffic order, which means monitoring data and public views will be collected during the first six months to inform whether to keep the scheme permanently, amend it or remove it.

For the first six months, anyone driving into these two roads without an exemption will be sent a warning letter. If they repeat the offence, they will receive a £70 penalty charge notice.

More information on School Street schemes in Surrey can be found at www.surreycc.gov.uk/schoolstreets or by calling 03456 009 009.