Pedestrian zones will be introduced at three schools in Croydon as part of a six-month trial designed to encourage parents and children to walk more.
Announced by Croydon Council on 14 July, the trial will come into effect from September and is also designed to improve road safety and reduce pollution.
The pedestrian zones will be in place on school days, around the times that children typically arrive and depart.
If it proves successful, the scheme will become regular at the three schools and could be trialled at others in the borough.
To enforce the scheme, Croydon Council will use temporary automatic number plate recognition cameras to confirm whether any vehicles passing through have advance permission.
Residents (and thier visitors) and school staff will be able to enter or leave the zones by applying free of charge for an advance access permit. Owners of cars that pass through the zones without a permit face a £130 fixed penalty notice, which can be reduced to £65 if paid within a fortnight.
Signs will be in place to inform drivers about the pedestrian zones, and council staff will marshal parking and road safety on nearby streets.
Croydon Council has also sent advance letters about the project to parents and local residents, and will ask for feedback during the trial.
Cllr Stuart King, cabinet member for transport and environment, said:
“We’re doing lots to make Croydon’s roads less polluted, less congested and more pedestrian-friendly, and this school run pilot is another way of achieving this.
“We want to make Croydon a healthier and safer place for all our residents, especially our youngsters, so I urge as many people as possible in these pilot areas to get out of their cars and walk their children to school.”
18 July 2017