A secondary school in Sheffield that closed its main road in a bid to decrease harmful pollution and near misses has hailed it success. 

One year on since Sheffield council’s launch of the Clean Air Zone scheme, Andover Street, the main road for Astrea Academy, is still closed between the hours 8am to 9.15am and 2.30pm.

Lorraine Yates, Assistant Principal at Aestra Academy, said: “Closing of the streets has had a knock on effect of ensuring there is no idling outside the school causing potential issues with air pollution for the children.”

The declared ‘School streets’ from September 2021 aimed to protect the physical safety after several near misses outside the Aestrea Academy alone and prevent excessive fuel consumption that are dangerous to the children later following the Clean Air Zone scheme. 

Councillor Christine Gilligan Kubo, Deputy Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “ It is very important to protect the health of our children and make sure they are safe when travelling to school.”

Nitrogen Dioxide, one of the many chemicals emitted from petrol and diesel vehicles in particular, is extremely harmful and potentially deadly to human health.

High inhalation of this chemical is linked to respiratory infections, reduced oxygen in bodily tissues, build up of lung fluid and inflammation of the airways. 

Graham Jones, a spokesperson for Burngreave Clean Air organisation, said: “ There is a public health emergency in our towns and cities worldwide caused by air pollution.” 

The impact of the high emission levels extends past just a human health crisis and is also greatly detrimental to the environment and ecosystem. 

Another main contributor to the climate crisis is carbon dioxide, largely found in vehicular emissions too, contributing to the greenhouse effect which raises global temperatures to an alarming level. 

Mr Jones added: “ There is a climate emergency caused by the burning of fossil fuels causing emissions of carbon dioxide destroying our environment on a massive scale.”

As Sheffield continues its crusade on climate change, there will be a continuation of Clean Air zones and council discussions considering distribution hubs aimed at making local deliveries go the last few miles on cargo bikes to aid us reaching net-zero.