Issue - meetings

School Streets Plan

Meeting: 10/11/2020 - Cabinet (Item 349)

349 School Streets Plan pdf icon PDF 509 KB

[Report of the Director for Housing, Regeneration and Planning. To be introduced by the Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Equalities and Leisure]

 

This report sets out the policies and processes that will be used in the delivery of the Councils School Street Programme.  It then lists the schools that will be prioritised with measures.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

[ The meeting paused for Cllr Chandwani to re-enter at 7.17pm]

 

The Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Equalities and Leisure introduced the report which sought approval for the School Streets Plan policy framework, and how School Streets would be implemented outside the schools across the borough.The report further set out the schools that the Council would focus on with its capital and match funding to deliver this over the next 4 years.

 

The Cabinet Member highlighted that London’s air pollution was particularly harmful to children and young people in Haringey. Poor air quality was also an issue of inequality, with those in the east of Haringey suffering the worst effects of poor air quality. As well as this, children were more likely to be the pedestrian casualties in traffic accidents and were put at more risk by cars than other groups.

 

The Cabinet Member noted that some parents were weary of using public transport during the pandemic which was understood. However, it was hoped that this situation would change. People would be encouraging to walk, cycle or take the bus to school.

This action would hugely benefit children’s health and wellbeing, and peace of mind.

 

At the start of the COVID pandemic, it was quickly realised that air quality and health levels played a part in the ability to fight the virus. There was also a need to create space, where people could socially distance safely while dropping off and picking up children. As a result of COVID, many measures were put in place to assist students and their parents to socially distance.

 

The Council considered 20 streets to designate as school streets before the end of the financial year and another 10 in the next few years after that. That was half the total number of primary schools in the borough.

 

The Council were actively engaged in looking at sources of funding so that it could continue to do more School Streets. As there was a move towards low traffic neighbourhoods there would also be an opportunity for schools, in these streets, to become School Streets.

 

The administration would endeavour to explore very possible opportunity to fund School Streets as it believed this was extremely important for children in the borough.

 

The Cabinet Member set out the reasons for prioritising junior schools which was because young lungs were more damaged by terrible air and it was hoped that one day all the borough’s schools would have School Streets.

 

In response to questions from Cllr Cawley - Harrison and Cllr Morris, the following was noted:

 

  • The first 20 School Streets would aim to be completed by the end of the financial year, March 2021.

 

  • The report set out the criteria considered when prioritising the School Streets.

 

  • In relation to the proposed number of School Streets in 5 years, it was acknowledged that this was not high enough but, as set in the report, the Council would be pursuing as many funding sources as available to increase this number. Some  ...  view the full minutes text for item 349