Six more School Streets will be made permanent, creating safe and healthy walking and cycling zones for hundreds of Haringey children.
The Streets for People schemes were introduced at an early stage in the phased rollout of the council’s three low traffic neighbourhood trials.
Now the council has decided to retain the School Streets at Bruce Grove Primary, St Martin of Porres RC Primary, Trinity Primary Academy, West Green Primary and Seven Sisters Primary, as well as the scheme covering both Belmont Junior and The Vale.
Haringey has one of the fastest growing School Streets programmes and aims to almost treble the number of these zones to 61 by 2026, transforming journeys and improving air quality at the school gates for up to 36,000 children.
Evidence presented to the council’s Cabinet showed a 63 per cent reduction in traffic across the six School Street trials, as well as an improvement in air quality. Walking, cycling and scooting to school increased by an average of 5 per cent, while trips to school by car were down by 5 per cent and congestion reduced.
Cllr Mike Hakata, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport said:
We are very proud of our rapidly expanding School Streets programme, and the part it plays building a fairer, greener borough for our young people.
The evidence is clear that children benefit from being able to walk, cycle or wheel to school in cleaner air and safer streets.
I’m delighted we’re making six more Streets for People schemes permanent and many more communities will have the opportunity for healthier and active lives.
Only people walking and cycling, and those with vehicle exemption permits, are eligible to enter the zone while the School Street is in operation.
As part of the council’s School Streets programme, an engagement exercise is underway on plans for three trials that will transform the start and end of the school day at a secondary and three primary schools.
Parents, residents and community groups have an opportunity to share their views on new School Streets at St Paul’s Catholic Primary and Noel Park Primary, and a scheme covering both Alexandra Primary and Heartlands High School. To have your say, go to the website. The consultation closes on 26 July 2023.
