The success of a scheme designed to make it safer for Solihull students to travel to and from school was under the spotlight during a recent meeting.

The School Streets scheme sees roads closed to all traffic outside primary schools during pick-up and drop-off times.

Signs are put in place to indicate the start of the restricted zone and only residents of the street with permits and blue badge holders are allowed access.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) uses a traffic regulation order for its scheme which prohibit vehicles from entering a specified area at 11 schools.

The scheme's success was discussed at the latest meeting of the cabinet portfolio holder for environment and infrastructure's decision session.

Council officers had recommended a scheme be introduced at Coppice Primary School in Coppice Road as they said the scheme had been a success elsewhere.

Officers wrote in their report: "Evaluation of Solihull's first three School Streets schemes (Oak Cottage Primary School, Marston Green Infant Academy and Hasluck's Green Junior School) shows clear and consistent benefits."

Cllr Kathryn Thomas said the scheme at Valley Primary School in Fallowfield Road had not been successful.

"When (enforcement) officers aren't on site to watch, the offending continues," the councillor said.

"A number of incidents have occurred including a resident's wall being damaged and a near miss with a child."

Officer Dean Ward, the authority's head of highways, said: "We do appreciate the issues with poor compliance at certain locations.

"What the proposal is to do beyond this is to look at those areas and seek additional funding for enforcement cameras."

Cllr Alan Wigley said: "We can't say the scheme is successful based on the reports of three schools.

"I know three schools where it is a failure Cameras may well be the answer, something has to change."

The cabinet holder, Cllr Ken Hawkins, was critical of West Midlands Police saying he did not believe enforcement of the school street was being "ranked high enough" in their priorities.

"When I was a police officer and we saw a vehicle parked 30 seconds or more, we knew they weren't moving, they had a ticket," he said.

"I want more people fined for parking like this, that's the way that will stop it.

"I support the school streets but I also recognise they have been very successful in locations and not so much in others."

The councillor decided to officially note the "continued success" of the scheme but added in "with differing levels of performance".

He also agreed to introduce the new school street scheme at Coppice Primary School at the meeting held virtually on July 9.