School streets create more space at the school gate by restricting motor vehicle access at drop off and pick up times. This makes the street safer, air cleaner, and encourages children to take active forms of travel. According to TfL around 25% of the morning rush hour traffic is due to the school run.

Not all schools are suitable for school streets, for example those on busy roads, but that doesn’t mean nothing can be done. Measures must also be included for these schools, including pavement widening, green screens, and traffic reduction measures.

Some schools can benefit from full time restrictions using modal filters, as are seen in Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. Southwark Council has done this at a few schools and this should be rolled out further wherever possible.

Our Ask

We’d like to see school streets at all schools where possible. Even better would be to place modal filters in front of schools where no resident or business access is necessary, or a modal filter in conjunction with a school street.

Where school streets are not possible, measures must be taken to make roads safer, decrease air pollution, and enable students to walk, cycle or scoot to school. These measures could be wider pavements, green screens and safe cycleways.

Read about Ask 4: People-friendly high streets to boost local business