Hundreds more children in Haringey will be enjoying safer and healthier journeys to school after councillors approved plans for two new Streets for People schemes.
Last night (17 October), Cabinet gave the go-ahead for the introduction of School Streets at Noel Park Primary and St Paul’s Catholic Primary following an extensive listening and engagement exercise.
Haringey has one of the fastest growing School Streets programmes with more than 11,000 children at 28 schools already benefitting from 24 zones spanning 6km during drop-off and pick-up times.
The council aims to almost treble the number of School Streets to 61 by 2026, transforming journeys and improving air quality at the school gates for up to 36,000 children.
Evidence shows a 42 per cent reduction in traffic across existing School Streets in the borough, as well as vehicle emissions (NOx) down by 26 per cent.
Cllr Mike Hakata, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment and Transport, said:
These schemes are a welcome addition to our ambitious School Streets programme, a crucial initiative promoting healthier, safer and more vibrant spaces.
The projects made permanent have already demonstrated reduced traffic, improved air quality, more walking and cycling, and high parent and teacher support.
The School Streets programme represents a commitment to healthier, greener, and more connected neighbourhoods for generations to come.
The school run makes up around 25 per cent of all traffic and can be one of the most congested parts of the day when travelling around the borough.
For those without access to a car, which in Haringey is the majority, that means getting to and from school is the most dangerous time of the day.
School Streets encourage more children to travel to and from school on foot, bike or scooter in a safe, fun and active way, cutting air pollution and creating a more pleasant environment at the school gates.
Only people walking, cycling or wheeling, and those with vehicle exemption permits, are eligible to enter the zone while the School Street is in operation.
The new schemes will be introduced as part of Adaptive Wood Green - a set of council projects that aim to tackle air pollution, promote active travel to school, and improve facilities on offer within local green spaces.
The projects include multiple enhancements to the public realm and traffic safety measures such as rain gardens, widened footways at crossings, reduced crossing distances, cycle stands at the school entrance, accessibility improvements, and renewed paving, aiming to create a much more comfortable and liveable place to live, learn, work and play.
Find out more about our School Streets programme here. The Cabinet reports can be read here.
