Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey Approves School Streets Programme
Streets outside Haringey's schools will be closed to cars to reduce air pollution and improve safety.
Councillors in Haringey have approved a ‘school streets’ programme they hope will encourage more pupils to walk, cycle or take the bus.
It will involve closing roads outside schools at least half an hour before opening and closing times, with restrictions lifted 15 minutes after the schools have closed.
Drivers that pass through the camera-enforced closures during the restricted hours will face a £130 penalty, reduced to £65 if paid within 14 days.
The first set of measures focuses on 20 schools and will make temporary changes that were introduced in response to Covid-19 pandemic permanent, as well as introducing cameras.
After the first set has been complete, the council plans to introduce school streets at a rate of three per year.
Schools have been prioritised according to criteria such as local air quality, traffic issues and the suitability of the road network
The school streets programme was approved at a meeting of Haringey’s cabinet last week.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Donna FT on
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I'm glad they've finally approved this but the rate of implementation is appalling compared to neighbouring boroughs. Islington and Hackney are doing far better on School Streets. They are also not ringfencing the funding, this plan (without very clear timelines, from my reading of it) is contingent on securing 50% funding from other sources. I wish they'd been bolder and put this higher up the priority budget priorities.
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Permalink Reply by Will on
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Yes, three years after they were first introduced in other London boroughs, Haringey has now seen fit to approve the concept. With over 100 schools in the borough, even allowing for co-located schools or those on streets deemed unsuitable, the proposed rate of implementation will take well over decade to complete. As for budgetary constraints, the funds received through fines in the first few months of operation render these schemes essentially self-funding.
With the exception of the 20 schools with temporary restrictions, the Council looks to be missing the Covid boat. When they are required to properly consult beyond the pandemic, they might find that applying restrictions to ladder roads will become a political minefield. Are both roads bordering South Harringay School likely to become School Streets?
Some change is better than none at all, but we really do deserve more from this perpetually failing Council.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Ruggles on
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Joke is that All Schools have valid Traffic Orders to stop Parking around them
But for reasons only known to Council they are not enforced
Even when Double Parking and blocking roads
Was mentioned wardens threatened. Just stick up Cameras. Sure they will recover costs in Days
Another issue at Noel Park. They cut the trees back that was filtering some of the Traffic fumed from roads passing school
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on
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Parking isn’t the sole problem. It’s also school run drop offs and through traffic during the start and end of the school day.
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Why would they enforce it if they themselves don't live on those streets? The council serves it's own self interest - I assure you they most likely make use of their own cars for school drop offs so why on earth would they be aggressive on this policy. The grudginly delayed kick-off merely highlights that this is being done as a box ticking exercise and not because there is real concern about a) pollution, b) heavy, and I mean heavy traffic and first and foremost c) the safety of children and parents walking to school.
Has anyone seen a school street during the drop off times? Double yellows/Zigzags/pavements parked on with no warden in sight. Traffic jams as far as the eye can see. Aggressive behaviour between motorists fighting for space. Only this morning was I literally blocked off from my front entrance as a car was literally parking ON the pavement.
Not only all of the above but these streets typically have "permit only" restrictions that are typically only 2 hours in duration - 10am-12pm! Yes "2" hours!. So not only is the council not attempting to restrict traffic at the peak times but it is also encouraging it!
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Permalink Reply by Justin Guest on
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Put a camera on Pemberton and you will cover the cost of the scheme in the whole borough in months!
It will be interesting to see the methodology (if there is one) for how the 3 schools a year are selected (volumes of cars passing using the respective roads for example?)
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Noel Park school is on Gladstone Avenue. Entrances to School are both in Gladstone avenue
Which must have one of the Highest Traffic flows in the Borough. As rear of Wood Green High Road which is congested wit traffic at most times
It would be impossible to close it off at schools entrance and leaving times
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If anyone wants to have a look at the School Street section of the minutes including the lists of schools in each batch, the report is here: https://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/documents/g9445/Public%20report...
and go to page 89 of the PDF.
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An interesting read.
4 School Streets for the ladder at what seems a pretty reasonable total cost of £125,000.
Chestnuts seems a bit odd. The report suggests that a whopping 47% of their kids get to school by car. Can that be right? With costs of their School Street on Etherley Road, some footpath widening, and an upgraded crossing estimated at £273,000, I wonder if engaging with the TfL Stars programme might have been a more cost effective starting point.
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