Agenda item

The Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and the Climate Emergency considered the report which reported the impact of 10 School Streets introduced on an experimental basis across the borough between November 2020 and April 2021. The report also asked the Cabinet Member to consider any statutory objections made to the associated traffic orders and sought approval to make all 10 School Streets permanent.

The Cabinet Member RESOLVED

1.    To note the outcome of the trial/experimental period of the 10 School Streets, as detailed in the Monitoring Report (Appendix A);

2.    To consider the scheme objections (Appendix B) and officer’s responses to the themes raised (Appendix C);

3.    To approve the amendment (a reduction) to the hours of operation of Rokesly School Street to 8:15am to 9:15am and 2:45pm to 3:45pm, for reasons given in paragraph 8.9 and 8.10;

4.    To approve the making permanent of the 10 School Streets, subject to the outcome of any statutory traffic order procedures.

Reasons for decision

As set out in Haringey Council’s School Streets Plan1, the Council took the decision to implement its School Streets using experimental traffic orders (ETOs).

The procedures for an ETO are defined by legislation2. An ETO can last for a maximum of 18 months and will involve a 6-month statutory consultation that runs concurrently with the delivery of a scheme. After 6 months (but before 18 months), the Council must decide whether to revoke the ETO, amend the ETO (and invoke another 6-month consultation window) or make the order, and thus the scheme, permanent.

The use of ETOs has enabled the swift implementation of School Streets and were, in part, driven by a need to respond to the pandemic and to support social distancing and reduce the risk of a damaging car-led recovery. ETOs have allowed the Council and the public to assess the schemes in operation, rather than try and predict their impact. Implementation using ETOs also encourages local residents who may otherwise be unaware of proposals to gain a sense of how well they think a scheme is working and provide feedback on that basis.

As the latter half of the 18-month ETO period is being reached, it is now necessary for the Council to take a decision on whether to make permanent the 10 School Streets schemes that were introduced in late 2020 and early 2021.

The 10 School Streets under consideration in this report are:

1.    Chestnuts School (SS02)

2.    Campsbourne Primary School (SS03)

3.    Coldfall Primary School (SS04)

4.    Earlsmead Primary School (SS06)

5.    Highgate Primary School and Blanche Neville School for the Deaf (SS10)

6.    Holy Trinity Primary School (SS11)

7.    Rokesly Infants and Junior School (SS13)

8.    St Pauls Catholic Primary School (SS16)

9.    Tiverton Primary School (SS17)

10. Welbourne Primary School (SS18)

The decision to make permanent the above 10 schemes is based upon the evidence collected during the ETO period and the positive benefits that the School Streets have delivered in terms of:

i.          Reduced congestion and car use near schools

ii.         Reduced road danger and improved safety for pupils and parents/carers travelling to and from school

iii.        Encouraged active travel to schools

iv.        Improved air quality around schools

Alternative options considered

Do Nothing – i.e. let the experimental traffic orders lapse

This option was rejected as it would mean the Council would need to remove the infrastructure associated with the 10 School Streets listed in paragraph 4.5.

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 deliver these School Streets would be contrary to the objectives set out in the Borough Plan, the Transport Strategy, the Climate Change Action Plan and the Draft Walking and Cycling Action Plan.

Allow a further six months of experimental operation before a decision is made.

This option was rejected due to the pressure on resources required to review and then deliver any change within a shorter time period.

Alongside this, there is evidence from other School Streets across London that little would change or be gained within an extra 6-month time period.

If time runs out on the ETO, the default position is that it lapses and is no longer enforceable. This would allow no time for any delays in making the School Streets permanent.