School SID Programme
Flashing speed signs which warn motorists to slow down near schools have been installed at 16 locations across Staffordshire. The electronic speed indication devices (SIDs) are part of a high profile campaign which aims to encourage drivers to reduce their speed to 20mph on the approach to schools.
A SID is a luminous sign which displays and records the speed, date and time for each vehicle that passes. This information can be summarised and the results will be reported back to the school. The information may also be used to identify speeding issues that require further action.
Schools are nominated by County Councillors who believe that the schools chosen will benefit from the traffic calming equipment.
The SIDs move to new locations each term and are currently located at the following locations until Easter.
St Joseph's and St Theresa's Primary - Chasetown
St Peter's Primary - Stonnall
Paget High - Branston
All Saints Primary - Rangemore
Amington Heath Primary - Tamworth
Glascote Heath Primary - Tamworth
West Hill Primary - Hednesford
Cardinal Griffin High - Cannock
St John's Primary - Swindon
Whitgreave Primary - Featherstone
Christchurch Academy - Stone
Woodseaves Primary - Woodseaves
Hutchinson Memorial First - Checkley
James Bateman Junior High - Knypersley
Seabridge Primary - Newcastle
Churchfields Primary - Chesterton
School councils and travel groups have been involved in raising the profile of the '20 is Plenty' initiative within their schools and presentations about the project have also taken place at school assemblies.
Schools have taken part in a Speed Project, where pupils can collect their own data about traffic speeds outside their school.
A survey for parents is carried out each term at each of the schools to find out how effective they felt the SIDs were in calming traffic during the school run.
Many of the SID schools are also taking part in a scheme called WoW (Walk Once a Week) which was launched by the Road Safety and Sustainable Travel Team in September 2011. The scheme encourages parents and pupils to leave the car at home and either walk, cycle or scoot to school. If pupils walk at least once a week, every week they receive a badge each month. The badges are based on a theme, this year they all depict Olympic Sports. The scheme has been extremely successful with upwards of 80 schools now taking part.
