Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help improve road safety for children near schools.

The Department recognises the importance of safety for children near schools and the Road Safety Strategy (published January 2026) sets a goal of reducing the number of children under 16 killed or seriously injured on roads by 70% by 2035 in Great Britain.

Active travel is a devolved matter for national governments. In England, the Department for Transport uses Active Travel England (ATE) to support authorities to develop a wide range walking and cycling schemes. ATE have developed and published specific guidance on how to improve safety around schools through implementation of School Streets.

The Government is providing £626 million to local authorities in England for walking and cycling schemes for 2026/27 onwards across the spending review period, which may also be used for safety measures around schools amongst a range of other measures.

More information on School Streets, the road safety strategy, and available funding can be found at the following links:

• Consolidated Active Travel Fund: final allocations - GOV.UK
• School Streets: how to set up and manage a scheme - GOV.UK
• Road safety strategy - GOV.UK

The Road Safety Strategy, published earlier this year, has also committed to publishing a new edition of the best practice guidance Setting local speed limits - GOV.UK which gives local authorities clearer, more up‑to‑date best‑practice standards.