Pioneering traffic reduction programme creates greener environment outside 36 Islington schools

School Streets reduce traffic outside the school gate at drop-off and pick-up times, creating quieter, more-pleasant streets for children, with cleaner air. They also encourage active travel by making it easier and safer for children and parents to walk and cycle during the school run.   

School Streets are part of the council’s vision for a greener, cleaner, healthier Islington that can achieve net zero carbon status by 2030. They also form a vital part of the council’s ongoing efforts to create people-friendly streets, where it is easier to walk and cycle, and where neighbourhoods are more enjoyable for all.  

To help achieve this, and to respond effectively to the coronavirus pandemic by making more space for parents and children to socially distance, the council has rapidly accelerated its rollout of School Streets in 2020.  

At the start of the year, the borough had 13 School Streets; in September, the council announced this would be more than doubled to 29 School Streets.

The new roll-out, in December, will bring six more School Streets, benefiting seven schools, meaning that Islington will have 35 School Streets covering 36 primary schools by the end of 2020.    

In November, research by the Healthy Streets Scorecard showed that, when taking into account planned schemes as well as those already installed, Islington has the highest proportion of schools on School Streets of any London borough.   

Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington’s Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: “School Streets bring real benefits to schools, parents and children, creating a much better environment outside the school gate, and helping create a greener, safer, healthier place to live.

“It is vitally important that our young people can enjoy active lifestyles, free from the toxic effects of air pollution. School Streets help to achieve this, while also making it easier for parents and students to safely socially distance as they make their way to and from school.   

“Our rapid acceleration of the School Streets programme, as part of our work to create people-friendly streets for Islington, reflects our determination to create a greener Islington that can be net zero carbon by 2030. We will be taking further actions and look forward to announcing further School Streets soon.”  

Under the School Streets scheme, streets outside schools are closed during pick-up and drop-off times during the school term. Vehicles are not permitted to enter the street during the times of operation, unless they have been given an exemption. Any vehicles that have not been given an exemption will receive a penalty charge notice.

Residents in the surrounding area of each of the six new School Streets have received letters informing them of the changes. All six of the new School Streets will be implemented as trials using 18-month Experimental Traffic Orders. This means that after 12-months, schools, parents and neighbours will be invited to have their say on whether their School Street should remain permanently.    

As part of its goal of achieving net zero carbon status by 2030, the council is committed to rolling out School Streets or equivalent interventions at all primary schools in the borough. The council will also look into the feasibility of expanding the programme to secondary schools.