POLICE and road safety officers took to the streets around Glasgow primary schools to ensure the first day of a car-free zone trial went to plan.

Our pictures show the scene at Broomhill Primary School where road safety officer Alan Barclay kept a close eye on drivers using Elmwood Avenue, just outside the school.

Glasgow City Council is determined to cut down on dangerous and selfish driving around schools.

Glasgow Times:

This has long been an issue raised by the Evening Times as we have highlighted the bizarre lengths parents will go to just to get their cars as close to schools as possible.

Now an 18 month trial will see what happens when car free zones are established outside schools.

The scheme involves Broomhill with Bankhead, Hillhead, Lourdes, Our Lady Of The Rosary and St Blane's primary schools.

Councillor Chris Cunningham, City Convenor for Education, Skills and Early Years, said calls from the affected communities for a safer environment outside schools have driven forward the plans for school car free zones.

Glasgow Times:

Councillor Cunningham said: “There is a public demand from parents and residents to make sure children are as safe as possible when heading to and from school.

"A number of initiatives have already tried to clamp down on poor driver behaviour, but problems that put children at risk still persist.

“In the circumstances we have to go one step further to protect our children.

"Car free zones outside schools can create safe spaces for young people at key points of the school day.

"The zones are being introduced on a trial basis and we will be looking very carefully at the evidence to see how effective they prove to be.”

Glasgow Times:

Car free zones will be created in the morning for drop-off at the start of the school day and in the afternoon for school pick up.

Police Scotland officers will be on hand to help road safety officers oversee the zones.

A poll by the British Lung Foundation found residents in Glasgow strongly backed the scheme with 75 per cent of people saying they were in favour.

The schools chosen for the pilot have a history of complaints and concerns from parent councils, community council and elected members about pupil safety.

They were also picked for having high levels of congestion.