Medway Council has scrapped a controversial “School Street” traffic ban outside a private school in Rochester following intense pushback from local residents and drivers.
The council confirmed that plans to ban cars during peak school hours outside King’s Pre-Preparatory School and Nursery on St Margaret’s Street have been abandoned.
A formal public consultation brought in a wave of complaints, forcing officials to admit the traffic order could not go ahead as planned. The decision marks a major policy shift after multiple rounds of public pushback over how the traffic rules would impact the historic town centre.
Scheme rolls out at three other Medway schools
While the private school plan has been halted, Medway Council is moving forward with the scheme in other areas.
New School Street restrictions started on Monday, 8 June 2026, aiming to cut down gridlock outside three state-funded schools:
- Crest Infant School and Delce Academy, Rochester: Cars are now banned on Crest Road, Fleet Road, Green Close, Haven Close, The Tideway, Windward Road, and Leeward Street between 08:00 and 09:00, and from 15:00 to 15:45.
- Horsted Primary School, Chatham: The ban applies to Barberry Avenue and Binland Grove from 08:00 to 08:45, and from 14:45 to 15:30.
Drivers who enter these zones during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times face automatic fines. The council is using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to catch drivers who break the rules.
How the driving restrictions work
The rules create temporary walking and cycling zones outside school gates. While the roads are closed to most through-traffic, the council operates a strict system of access rules.
Local residents who live inside the zones are exempt from the fines, but they must register their vehicles ahead of time. Emergency services, utility workers dealing with issues, blue badge holders, and professional carers are also allowed to pass through the camera checkpoints.
However, ordinary parents dropping off their children, delivery drivers, and local taxis are not exempt. Anyone caught driving through without a permit will receive a Penalty Charge Notice through the post.
Why the King’s School plan failed
The U-turn at King’s School happened after Rochester residents raised major concerns about how large the zone had become. What started as a simple plan for the school gates grew into a much wider traffic restriction that would have hit King Edward Road, Lockington Grove, and Roebuck Road.
Neighbours argued that the rules would not stop traffic, but would simply push cars onto nearby residential roads. They also worried that the shift would force younger children to walk much further to get to school safely.
Faced with heavy public opposition during the official feedback windows, council leaders chose to drop the traffic order entirely.
Official cabinet papers show that the council will now look at alternative safety ideas for the area. These new options may include stronger “School Keep Clear” markings enforced by cameras and a potential 20mph speed limit on the surrounding streets to keep walking routes safe.
Active travel debate divides the community
The policy shift highlights the difficult balance local councils face when trying to introduce green transport rules.
Backed by £486,000 from the government’s Active Travel Fund, Medway has introduced several School Streets since early 2024. Council data shows that the earliest schemes successfully cut down the number of school-run car trips while increasing the number of children walking to school.
However, critics argue that these figures hide a bigger problem: traffic displacement. They say the rules simply divert heavy traffic to the next street over, just outside the active zone. Data across Medway also reveals that thousands of fines have been issued since the rules first launched.
The council maintains that its main goal is to clean up local air quality and protect children. However, as the dropped plan at King’s School shows, the policy faces a tough battle when it gets in the way of daily commuter traffic.
