Westminster School Streets made permanent

Eleven schools will be covered by access control regimes

Westminster City Council has taken the decision to make School Streets permanent following an 18-month trial. The central London council launched School Streets trials at a number of schools in January 2022.

The scheme aims to create safer spaces around schools during school drop-off and collection times, to encourage pupils to walk, cycle and scoot on school journeys in an environment where the risk of collision with motor vehicles is reduced.

Roads around schools during peak times are often dominated by vehicles contributing to high levels of pollution and increased risks to pedestrians and cyclists, and road safety continues to be a serious issue, particularly on the walk to school. In 2021, there were 4,301 child pedestrian casualties on UK roads.

During restricted times, some motorised traffic is prohibited to enter the School Street. Exemptions are available for residents, Blue Badge, White Badge and emergency vehicles.

As part of the interventions, extensive signage was installed at all sites and some boundary areas. Some School Streets were also equipped with CCTV enforcement cameras over the course of the trial.

The council monitored traffic, pedestrian, and air quality levels around primary schools during the trial period. Active travel modes (walking/cycling/scooting) during the times of operation across all school locations averaged at 91.6%. Morning dropoffs saw a reduction (33%) in nitrogen dioxide during the times of operation of School Streets. This is an above the London average, said Westminster. Afternoon collections saw a significant reduction (61%) in nitrogen dioxide during the times of operation of School Streets as well.

Eleven Westminster primary schools will benefit from the permanent School Street scheme. And the council is also looking to expand the scheme to a further five schools each year over a three-year programme.

Cllr Paul Dimoldenberg, cabinet member for city management, said: “School Streets have been successful in reducing the number of vehicles around school at drop-off and pick-up times. This will have major benefits for air quality around our

Walking could reduce school gate pressures

Parents in Durham are being encouraged to give up using the car for the school run and instead walk with their children to school. Durham County Council wants to reduce congestion in the town of Newton Aycliffe caused by school gate parking.

The county’s safety team is working in collaboration with Durham Constabulary’s Newton Aycliffe neighbourhood policing team and the County Durham and Darlington Road Safety Partnership.

The Walking Bubble Challenge encouraged families to walk, cycle or even scoot to school to win prizes for their class. It was launched during Walk to School Week, which ran from 15 to 19 May.

A ‘walking bubble map’ was created for each participating primary school. Each map had the school in the centre with a voluntary 100-metre no parking zone and a 400-metre bubble, equivalent to a fiveminute walk to or from the site, drawn around it. Pupils recorded on a classroom wall chart if they had walked, cycled, scooted or parked further away from the school and walked through their bubble. Prizes were awarded for the biggest percentage uptake for a class and school, along with rewards for every school that took part in the challenge.

Cllr Elizabeth Scott, cabinet member for economy and partnerships, said: “This was an exciting challenge and it’s been great seeing all the children getting involved already. As well as being better for the environment, walking to school is great for improving physical and mental wellbeing.

“If more families choose to walk, or even schools and make it safer for children to walk, cycle or scoot to school. I’m very pleased to announce that School Streets will now become permanent fixtures outside 11 of our primary schools and we will look to introduce more in other parts of Westminster. Westminster City Council is absolutely committed to improving road safety and encouraging sustainable and active forms of travel.”

Melissa Royle, deputy headteacher at Queens Park Primary school, said: “We’re really pleased School Streets are being made permanent. Cars used to come down here so fast and breathing in the car fumes was very unpleasant. The safety of our pupils is paramount, so this has made a huge difference.”

Amna, a parent and Queens Park resident, said: “I think School Streets is a great idea, I totally agree with it. It’s much safer for children and parents in rush hour when we’re coming to collect our children and we’re all in a hurry. It makes us all feel much safer.”

A pupil at Queens Park Primary school said: “I like the road being closed when I walk to school because I don’t have to breathe in the dirty pollution. I also feel more calm because I don’t have to rush across the road.” bike and scoot, it will help us to reduce parking congestion at the school gates –something which is often a concern for parents and the surrounding community. Safer parking around schools keeps our children safe.”

Sergeant Andy Boyd, Newton Aycliffe neighbourhood police, said: “Inconsiderate school gate parking is an issue in every community across the country. Together with partners, we wanted to problem solve around this and creating a competition which got school pupils to encourage their parents to leave the car behind seemed like a good start. Not only could this decrease congestion and risk at school gates, but it also contributes to a healthier start and finish to the school day.”

One of the schools taking part was Woodham Burn Community Primary. Headteacher Damian Sparrow said: “We’ve taken part in the Walking Bubbles Challenge, it’s been a fantastic initiative to try and encourage children to come to school by bike, scoot or cycle. It’s massively increased the number of children who come to school in a healthy way and reduced the amount of cars that have parked on the drives.”