Westminster’s first ‘School Street’ opens

LRSC Westminster School street

Westminster City Council has launched its first School Street, with temporary road closures designed to encourage more pupils to walk and cycle to school.

School Street is a term-time programme of agreed timed road closures – operational Monday to Friday 8-9am and 3-4pm.

The aim is to enhance school road safety and provide opportunities for children to be active through travel and physical activity.

Westminster’s first School Street became operational on 23 April outside St Mary’s Bryanston Square school in Marylebone – creating a pedestrian and cycle zone during drop off and pick up times.

The scheme is a permanent intervention, with plans in place to implement at least one School Street in each ward in the borough.

The initiative is part of Westminster City Council’s Active Streets programme, which also includes Play Streets and Street Play events.

Play Streets, which have been organised across London since 2012, give children a chance to reclaim some of their local streets from traffic and take part in fun and games.

Last week, a national newspaper issued a call for a temporary traffic ban outside schools at drop-off and pick-up times.

As part its ‘Clean Air For All’ campaign, The Times is urging authorities to ban all vehicles, except buses, from roads beside schools for 45-60 minutes in the morning and again in the afternoon.


15 May 2019