School Streets, you said, we did

What is a School Street?

The School Street Programme aims to create safer spaces around schools during school drop-off and collection times, to encourage pupils to walk, cycle and scooter on school journeys.

A School Street is a special Pedestrian and Cycle Zone (PCZ) which is created outside a school’s main entrance during term-time. They operate in the morning and afternoon during school drop-off and collection times, Monday to Friday. Signage on the roads informs drivers of the times of operation at the entrance(s) to the zone.

Vehicle movements are reduced during the operating times so that school children, their parents, carers and other visitors will have more space to walk, cycle or scoot.

The School Street trial

The School Street trial aimed to:

• improve air quality by limiting the pollution from motor vehicles in the area
• create a safer and more pleasant environment by limiting the potential dangers caused by motor vehicles
• encourage more active travel, such as walking, cycling and scootering

The consultation

We consulted on making this scheme permanent over 18 months, up to March 2023.

The School Street Programme captured all provide feedback from schools, residents and businesses and met the following objectives.

• the trial School Streets were successful in reducing motor vehicles with and without enforcement. However, we listened and incorporated CCTV cameras to further aid compliance at affected locations.
• Active travel modes (walking/cycling/scooting) during the times of operation across all school locations averaged at 91.6%.
• Air quality improvements were aimed for by reducing vehicle emissions. We achieved a reduction of 33% in morning drop off and 61% at afternoon collection times.
• 74% of people who responded to our questionnaire were in support of School Streets.

We made the decision to make the 11 trial locations a permanent feature on our roads and commit to introducing more through and agreed programme.

Quotes about school streets:

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Cabinet Member for City Management and Air Quality, said:

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.

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.

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.