Traffic restrictions around two Elgin primary schools will become permanent.
Moray councillors agreed to continue with the School Streets scheme preventing vehicles entering zones around Seafield and New Elgin primaries at pick up and drop off times.
There will be exemptions for residents, emergency services, doctors and utility companies.
New permanent road traffic orders will be brought in by the end of September, replacing temporary ones.
Members of Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure committee also agreed a list of criteria for the scheme so other schools can apply to become part of it.
The project aims to reduce the amount of vehicles around schools making the area safer for pupils to walk or cycle.
Surveys carried out at the schools before and after the restrictions were put in place found traffic movement reduced overall.
The exception was the afternoon pick up at New Elgin, which saw an increase.
SNP councillor for Elgin South Graham Leadbitter welcomed the findings in the report.
He said: There’s been a lot of liaison with the schools, the police and local members and a huge amount of work gone into that.
“It has been particularly successful at Seafield and a bit of a mixed bag at New Elgin. But there is still support for this from the school community.”
Labour councillor for Elgin South John Divers, who lives close to New Elgin primary, believes the scheme is successful.
He said: “I no longer see our children being put at grave risk, as they were previously. That’s the success for me having seen a number of near misses.”
Conservative councillor for Forres Claire Feaver agreed the scheme is a good idea, but does not want pupils and parents at other schools, unable to fulfil the School Streets criteria, to be second-class citizens.
She said: “From a funding point of view, for the schools that can’t benefit from this, are they going to get equal funding to put in safety measures, such as school crossing patrollers or pelican crossings or widening pavements?
“I would not like it to be a case that we believe only certain children are more precious than other children regarding safety around schools.”
Transportation manager Nicola Moss advised Mrs Feaver the council takes the safety of all its pupils very seriously.
She said the School Streets scheme is one of many measures to ensure safe travel to and from school, including park and walk initiatives and designated cycleways.
Mrs Moss said: “As statistics demonstrate, we do have safe roads in Moray. That’s not something we should be complacent about, but we should also commend that as a community we do have a good road safety track record.
“This is not in any way to say certain schools deserve special measures, but to constantly look for additional tools we can add round promoting active travel and road safety.”
Around £35,000 had been spent on the projects at New Elgin and Seafield mostly on signs and traffic orders. The money came from the safer roads grant which can be used to fund similar projects across Moray.
Traffic surveys carried out at both schools showed vehicle movements on Deanshaugh Terrace outside Seafield fell from 138 to 73 during the morning drop off, and 113 to 74 in the afternoon.
While the numbers on Bezack Street, where New Elgin Primary is sited, reduced from 151 to 116 at school opening time, in the afternoon they increased from 104 to 123.
Traffic data also showed while vehicle speed fell by almost 3mph at New Elgin, it increased slightly at Seafield.
Previously concerns had been expressed at the gates of New Elgin primary
