Cars to be banned from outside schools once again

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

Traffic zones outside 10 Croydon schools will be reintroduced in April, two months after they were suddenly pulled.

One head teacher feared for the safety of his pupils when a “school zone” was stopped without any notice.

Ten of the schemes, where drivers face a fine for entering at school pick-up and drop-off times, will come back into force on April 25.

They were “paused” after the council did not to carry out the full, legally required, consultation due to the Covid-19 lockdowns.

The 10 schools are Church CofE Primary School, Downsview, Primary School, Ecclesbourne Primary School, Harris Primary Academy Haling Park, Keston Primary School, Harris Primary Academy Croydon, Oasis Academy Reylands, Ridgeway Primary School, St Thomas Becket Catholic Primary and St Joseph’s Catholic Junior School

And at council meeting on Wednesday of last week, cabinet member for sustainable Croydon, Muhammad Ali, said the authority has received funding for another 10 school streets. This would see nearly 40 in Croydon in the next 12 months, the most in London.