Redbridge Schools Streets expansion creates safer and healthier school journeys for over 9000 local school children
Published: 21 June 2023
More than 9000 school children in the borough will enjoy healthier and safer school journeys as Redbridge’s successful School Streets Programme is rolled out at a further four schools from September.
Gearies Primary School, Redbridge Primary School, St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School and Seven Kings School, Secondary Campus are the newest additions to the programme, increasing the total number of schools in the scheme to 15.
Under the initiative, which comes into effect from Monday 4 September, 2023, motor vehicles will be unable to enter school street zones surrounding the schools, for around an hour, at the start and end of the school day during term time.
The vehicle restrictions help eliminate dangerous traffic hotspots near the schools, making children less vulnerable to road accidents by creating a safer journey to and from school.
Supported by head teachers and local families, the restrictions also help reduce children’s exposure to harmful vehicle emissions, and encourage more walking, scooting, and cycling to school.
Bob Drew, Head Teacher at Gearies Primary School, said: “The community at Gearies Primary is really looking forward to the start of the Redbridge School Streets project. This will help support our commitment to sustainable travel, improve children's health and fitness, and ease the congestion around the school gates at the start and end of each day. Our children are supportive of the plan and have themselves been campaigning for years to encourage parents to stop using cars when coming to school.”
Jane Waters, Executive Headteacher of Seven Kings School, added: “We got involved with Redbridge School Streets because we were concerned about the safety of our young people, having witnessed some close calls, with cars mounting pavements when the road gets gridlocked. We fully support the initiative, and our children feel relieved they will be able to walk to and from school independently, in safety. We are all looking forward to a sense of calm and safety at the start and end of the school day for our young people, staff, and neighbours.”
Residents and businesses within the zone will be able to apply for exemption permits enabling them to access their properties as usual. For more information go to: www.redbridge.gov.uk/school-streets.
Signs will be in place to notify drivers that school street zones can only be accessed by cyclists and pedestrians at the displayed times unless vehicles have an exemption.
Non-exempt vehicles entering the school streets zones when restrictions are in force will be identified by traffic enforcement cameras and issued with a fine.
Letters have gone out to all residents or businesses located in a school streets zone, and those affected must apply for a FREE exemption for their vehicle to avoid getting fined.
Redbridge Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Civic Pride, Cllr Jo Blackman, said: “I’m really pleased to welcome four more schools to Redbridge’s School Streets Programme. This programme is making a significant difference already across the borough – making children’s travel to school safer and healthier and I am delighted that 4 further schools and more children will benefit from this latest expansion.”
For more information about Redbridge School Streets, and to apply for an exemption, visit www.redbridge.gov.uk/school-streets.
Complementing the School Streets road closures will be the council’s established programme of active and sustainable transport initiatives through the School Active Travel Planning process.
Across the borough, the council provides schools with a wide range of support to champion schemes to improve air quality, active travel, and road safety around schools, including cycle training, scooter training, pedestrian skills training, and behaviour change activities. These encourage pupils and their parents to walk, cycle and scoot to school, rather than being driven.
Child Friendly Redbridge
The Redbridge School Streets Programme is just one of the ways the council is working towards becoming a Child Friendly Redbridge and delivering on the priorities of the borough’s children and young people.
As part of UNICEF’s Child Friendly Cities and Communities programme, children from across Redbridge have told the council about the importance of clean air, tackling climate change, and improving road safety.
School Streets is an example of children shaping the council’s decision-making processes and shaping council policies, embodying the key principles of the Child Friendly Redbridge programme.
Find out more about Child Friendly Redbridge at www.redbridge.gov.uk/childfriendly
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