Proposals to introduce up to eight new School Streets across Croydon have been widely supported during the recent round of community engagement.
Ten schools at eight new sites were shortlisted for the trial with letters written to the schools and the surrounding communities.
Hundreds of responses to the public engagement have been received with nearly 70 per cent supporting the scheme. A formal consultation on the traffic orders needed to create the School Streets is set to go ahead.
The proposals build on a successful pilot scheme that saw temporary pedestrian zones that only operate during the school run created at three Croydon schools.
The first three schemes led to 250 fewer children travelling to school by car with most of them walking, cycling or scooting instead.
The shortlisted schools are:
- Norbury Manor Primary, Norbury
- Cypress Primary, South Norwood
- Winterbourne Junior Girls, Bensham Manor
- Winterbourne Junior Boys, Bensham Manor
- Fairchildes Primary, New Addington
- Harris Academy Purley, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown
- Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School, Purley Oaks and Riddlesdown
- Downsview Primary & nursery, Upper Norwood
- Harris Primary Academy Kenley, Kenley
- West Thornton Primary Academy, Broad Green
In order to be considered for the School Street scheme schools should be part of the STARS programme, which helps and supports them establish and develop other ways to get to school.
STARS is a London-wide scheme to improve road safety and promote walking, scooting, cycling, public transport and more in an effort to boost sustainable travel.
“I’m pleased to new School Street proposals have been so popular.
“These schemes make the area around a school entrance safer. They have also been shown to encourage parents to walk their children to school, with fewer school run trips as a result. That means less congestion, safer schools and healthier pupils.
“In total 31 schools have expressed an interest in getting a School Street so the council will be working hard to roll this popular scheme out across the borough as soon as we can.”
Councillor Stuart King, cabinet lead for environment and transport
