Streets outside primary schools will be closed to cars across Haringey to improve air quality for pupils.
School streets will see roads outside the entrance to 38 schools closed at the beginning and end of the school day, from Monday to Friday during term time. Schools that will see changes introduced first include Highgate Primary School, Highgate Junior School, Coldfall Primary School and Campsbourne Primary School.
Haringey Council says the measures for these schools, part of a “prioritised” group of 20, will be implemented by April.
The plans were signed off at a meeting of Haringey Council’s cabinet on November 10.
Cllr Kirsten Hearn, Haringey Council’s environment chief, said: “Parents want School Streets because they know they deliver cleaner air. I’m extremely pleased to see this plan now agreed.
“The health and safety of our borough’s children and young people is a priority.
“The School Streets plan will see vastly improved air quality and road safety around our schools, whilst encouraging safer and cleaner commuting options for all of those travelling to school.”
The school streets programme has been allocated £1.5 million capital funding by the council over a five-year period, supported by a possible £1.5m in match funding from external sources, if it can be secured.
All primary schools in the borough have been assessed as part of the measures, with those categorised “most urgent” at the front of the queue.
The timed closure of roads outside schools will be enforced by CCTV cameras or physical measures.
The council says it will create a “safe space for children, teachers, parents and carers travelling to and from school at peak times and will get parents to think twice about their travel habits – encouraging more sustainable and active travel methods, such as walking, cycling or taking public transport”.
As part of a wider move to encourage walking and cycling, Haringey Council has introduced traffic changes during the Covid-19 pandemic.
This has included putting up plastic barriers and widening pavements outside schools to aid social distancing.
The council said it “recognised” these changes did not make the altered roads School Streets in themselves, but that such changes installed in recent months would now become permanent alongside the timed road closures.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here