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news
London Fields Primary School (source Google Street View).JPGParents at Hackney school call for ban on cars due to air pollution fears
Parents in Hackney are calling for cars to be banned from the street a primary school lies on at the times they drop off their children in the morning and pick them up in the afternoon.
Similar measures, aimed at combating air pollution, have been adopted at other schools in the London borough under the School Streets initiative from the local council, reports the Hackney Gazette.
One of those is St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School in Crondall Street, Hoxton, where from Monday cars will be banned in term time from 8.30am to 9.15am, and 3.15pm to 4pm.
The street will be pedestrian and cycling only during those hours, with drivers ignoring the rules facing a £130 fine if they are caught on camera.
However, local residents will be able to register their vehicles to allow them to use them at those times.
A similar scheme is due to be introduced at Tyssen Community in Oldhill Street, Stamford Hill from September.
One parent of children at London Fields Primary School has launched a petition calling for will follow suit in September, and London Fields parents want their school to be next on the list.
Kylie Barlow, whose children aged five and six walk to school each day, said: “We are really concerned that our children could be harmed.
“We hope to come up with other ideas too, because the rest of the time there will be cars going past the school polluting.
“We haven’t had any negative feedback from anyone yet – hopefully they can recognise the positive aspect of it and that their children will have air to breathe. Obviously local people concerned about pollution can sign it too.”
The petition, hosted on the 38 Degrees website, says:
London Schools are exposed to illegally high levels of pollution. Air pollution particularly impacts children, with serious consequences, including:
Increased likelihood of asthma and allergies
Damage to brain development
Stunted lung growth for life
Heart disease in later life
Increased incidence of anxiety, depression and Attention Deficit Disorder
Increased risk of cancerAs a group of parents, we support efforts to improve air quality and want London Fields Primary School to be the next school to join Hackney Council’s School Streets scheme.
School Streets reduce motor traffic on the roads outside schools at drop-off and pick-up times.
School Streets reduce pollution and create a safer environment during these set times whilst maintaining access for residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclists.
Please sign our petition so we can demonstrate support for London Fields Primary School to be a School Street.
You can sign the petition here.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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12 comments
I think preventing parking along any road that goes past schools would be a useful addition as well. On the days I drive in to work rather than cycle I go past several schools that are on main roads through that side of the town, the number of cars stopped dropping off kids right by the gates is ridiculous, half the time they leave the engine running, and because of the congestion any cars trying to pass through have to keep stopping and pulling away which generates a lot more pollution than driving at 30 (although I think it should be 20 past any school) causes.
Trouble is that 20mph speed limits never seem to be enforced and the signage for this is also woefully inadequate. I always get overtaken in 20mph zones and there is no way that I am doing under 20mph on those stretches.
I though I should point out before anyone jumps on what I wrote that I do not speed on areas near schools, the 20mph route in question is a standard residential area with speed bumps that are designed to stop trucks and vans speeding to the industrial park at the other end I assume.
I'd go further and remove all on street parking. Park on your property or in a car park. Don't buy more cars than the household has parking space for.
But the policy seems right no access to school roads at drop off it collection time except to prove who live on that road.
Interestingly, the article doesn't mention how parents drop off their children. As they are so adamant that cars be banned I think we can assume that they either walk or cycle? The catchment area for this particular school in a central, densely packed urban area cannot be that large.... and car ownership in this area is low compared to national averages.
As for schools, why not set up a mini-congestion charge zone: GBP [10] to drop off or pick up your kids off or a higher sum to pass through at a strictly enforced max 20mph. Massive fines for speeders with all proceeds going to the school.
Hasn't anyone told them it's bikes and cycle lanes that cause pollution?
Just to clarify the School Streets policy: the street in front of the school is a pedestrian and cycle-only zone at set times in the morning and afternoon, only residents and businesses on the affected street & blue badge holders are permitted to apply for a permit to drive through, all other locals are not permitted to drive through.
And this is the problem, those whom are closest by should be banned too, they shouldn't be allowed to drive little johnny and jemima 500yards but they will do because it isn't safe to walk/cycle. Why isn't it safe, because the driver of little Johnny and jemima is an entitled motorist who as above will likely drive something 3 times the size they need (not withstanding the ridiculous amount of pollution for such a short journey) and also drive like an idiot as they always do.
As netwench has articulated, the policy seems spot on to me.
You can't stop people who live on that street leaving their homes (or arriving at their business) in their cars.
I think something like this is needed nationally. There's a daily battle at my kids' schools to park pretty much in the school entrance. Some parents have a pathological aversion to any sort of exercise, even walking a few yards, so need to have any sort of choice taken away from them. Not only are they belching diesel fumes all over the school, but they're also producing the next generation of serious fatties.
Just because you live next to a school does not mean that you have children at that school or indeed children at all. If you live next to a school and need your car to commute the 100 miles to work I think that it is perfectly reasonable that you should be able to use the affected street to leave from your driveway and start your journey. What is your problem with this?
Yeah, all a bit 'locals only, we're alright to pollute our own kids'. Probably would moan if another school did it and it inconvenienced them.
Whilst in general I would support such a scheme, I feel the ability for locals to register misses the point, if they are local then ditch the Chelsea tractors and engage in active travel.