Road closures to be put in place around Lambeth schools from September to allow social distancing and make areas safer for kids

By Grainne Cuffe, Local Democracy Reporter

Road closures will be put in place around many schools from this September to make it safer for children and allow social distancing.

Lambeth council has announced the new programme of 21 ‘school streets’ planned to be in place from the autumn.

The changes, which will involve timed closures at 21 yet to be announced school sites, are expected to cost £75,000 “initially”.

Schools that cannot get involved because of technical or other reasons will be considered for other measures to improve social distancing and active travel.

Councillor Claire Holland, deputy leader and cabinet member for sustainable transport, environment, and clean air, said keeping children “healthy and safe is our number one priority”.

She said: “The majority of people in Lambeth do not have access to a car and our aim needs to be ensuring equality when it comes to transport.

“Just because your family isn’t able to afford to run a car, shouldn’t mean you are exposed to increased risk on public transport or while walking, cycling or scooting on our streets as they are too dangerous.

“We need to redress this balance, clean up our air and make our roads safer for everyone.”

Lambeth already has two permanent school streets around Jessop Primary School in Lowden Road, Herne Hill, and Immanuel and St Andrew CE Primary School in Northanger Road, Streatham.

Cllr Ed Davie, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “Hundreds of Lambeth residents, including children, die every year from vehicle air pollution, and scores more are killed and seriously injured by drivers.

“By freeing space around schools like this we can make the air cleaner and the streets safer so that children and their families can walk, cycle and scoot together.”

Nikki Smiton, from Mums for Lungs, said it was “great to see Lambeth joining other London boroughs in embracing school streets”.

She said: “With the potential link between Covid-19 and air pollution becoming clearer, as well as the ongoing need for social distancing, there has never been a more important time to put these measures in place.

“It’s essential to do all we can to protect children’s delicate lungs ahead of schools fully re-opening in September.”

The new measures will be a combination of school streets, with restrictions at the start and end of the school day, and full-time changes to the road layout around school gates at all times.