PUPIL-FRIENDLY plans to get York children out of their parents' cars during the school run are being put to councillors.

Council transport chiefs hope a raft of safety changes will encourage parents to allow their children to either jump on their bikes or walk to school.

In an effort to curb school-run traffic gridlock, which blights sections of the city twice daily during term time, and ease "drop-off" congestion around schools, Guildhall officers have drawn up a raft of changes at three York schools.

Members of the planning and transport committee will discuss proposed safety improvements at Joseph Rowntree, and Archbishop Holgate's secondary schools as well as the Steiner School, Fulford, at a meeting next Thursday.

Ideas in three schemes put forward under the Safer Routes To School Study - costing a total of £165,000 - include improved cycle paths, new road markings and changes to road crossings.

At Joseph Rowntree school, problems highlighted in the study include widening an uneven and narrow cycle path within the grounds, plans to tackle vegetation and graffiti at two outer ring road underpasses and extra road markings at the mini-roundabout at the Eastfield Avenue junction, which the report says is a popular route for Haxby-based pupils.

The report also calls for an investigation into new crossing facilities south of the school on Haxby Road.

Officers also say that since a 20mph zone was introduced around the school in 2002 there have been no injury accidents reported in the area.

Graham Kelly, senior highway safety engineer, states: "This reflects the success of such measures in York generally which, on average, have halved the number of accidents occurring on roads where they have been installed over the last ten years."

Planned safety improvements at Archbishop Holgate's School include upgrading crossings and providing extra cycle routes in Hull Road and a zebra crossing across Tang Hall Lane, at its junction with Millfield Lane and Osbaldwick Lane.

Officers revised plans for Hull Road after police raised concerns about the impact on traffic congestion of narrowing a section of highway for bikes.

Meanwhile, at Fulford Cross, plans are on the table to create a safe pedestrian route from Fulford Road to the Steiner School entrance and a cycle path from the nearby allotments and riverside.

Parking restrictions would also be introduced to "reduce potential conflict" with pedestrians and cyclists close to the Steiner School entrance.

Officers recommend plans for all three schools be approved by councillors.

Updated: 11:27 Friday, November 05, 2004