Issue - meetings

Report of the Director of Environment and Resident Experience. Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment, and Transport and Deputy Leader of the Council.

Following the experimental period of Highgate Junior School Street a decision is required whether to make permanent or revoke the traffic orders.

The Cabinet Member for Climate Action, Environment, and Transport and Deputy Leader of the Council introduced the report, which sought approval to make permanent all ETOs associated with this School Street.

It was noted that school streets were safer for children, reduced congestion and air pollution.

The review of the experimental School Street demonstrated that traffic volumes within the School Street had reduced by 75% during operational hours and there had been an 8% increase in walking, cycling and scooting to school.

RESOLVED

1.         To note the outcome of the trial, including feedback, as detailed in the Monitoring Report (Appendix A).

2.         To note that no objections to the experimental traffic orders were received.

3.         T0 agree that the Council shall not exercise its discretion to cause a public inquiry to be held for the reasons set out in paragraph 8.7 of this report.

4.         To approve the making permanent of all ETOs associated with the School Street (SS09) as shown in Appendix E of this report.

5.         To authorise the Head of Highways and Parking to take all consequent steps to make the ETOs permanent.

Reasons for decision

The reason for making permanent the traffic orders associated with the School Street is in summary as follows: School Streets are a key priority for the Council, as set out within the School Street Plan^[1], the Walking and Cycling Action Plan^[2] and the Corporate Delivery Plan 2022-2024^[3]. See further sections 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 below.

Alternative options considered

Do nothing - i.e. to let the experimental traffic orders lapse.

The Council would therefore fail to deliver on the motion passed by Full Council in March 2019, which set out a commitment to deliver School Streets at primary schools across the borough.

Failure to retain this School Street would not meet the objectives set out in the Transport Strategy and the Climate Change Action Plan and the Walking and Cycling Action Plan.