School Street schemes close school roads for pedestrian and cycling access only during pick up and drop off. They are proving to be hugely successful in creating a safer environment for children to walk, cycle and scoot, free from traffic. This significantly reduces air pollution caused by traffic, increases road safety and enables social distancing. Islington Council will have implemented 39 School Streets across the borough by December 2020.
The Gower School before and after a School Street was implemented in September 2020.
If your school is one of the remaining schools in Islington currently without a school street here is how you can campaign for one:
HOW TO CAMAIGN FOR A SCHOOL STREET
- Speak to other parents at your school and create a group. Four or five parents is a good start. Email your head teacher to ask for their support.
- Individual emails are better than a joint one.
- Create a WhatsApp group for communication
- Take photos and videos of traffic problems as evidence
- Email Islington Council: schoolstreets@islington.gov.uk
- Mums for Lungs has created a template letter you can use, download this template letter here. Address it to your head teacher, local ward councillors and Islington Council asking for action to be taken.
- With parents and headteachers support, it is easier for Islington Council to implement new School Streets schemes.
- Watch this video of our meeting with a presentation from Jemima Vivien, founder of Mums for Lungs for more tips and ideas.
We believe all schools in Islington should have a School Street scheme. They are vital to protect our children’s health. School Streets reduce our children’s exposure to air pollution from cars which recent scientific studies suggest is likely to increase the susceptibility to suffer from Covid-19 and reduce the ability to fight the infection. They also enable social distancing at drop off and pick up during the pandemic.
In addition, parents report that where Schools Streets have been implemented they create a positive, stress-free environment for children as they arrive at school and leave.
Islington schools currently included in the School Street scheme:
Ambler primary school
Ashmount primary school
Drayton Park school
Duncombe primary school
Hanover primary school
Hugh Myddelton primary school
Moreland Primary School
Rotherfield primary school
St John Evangelist
St Marks primary school
St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School
Winton primary school
Yerbury primary school
A further 26 schools will have school streets by December 2020.
Blessed Sacrament Primary School, The Children’s Upper House School, Copenhagen Primary School, Dania School, Gillespie Primary School, The Gower School, Grafton Primary School, Hargrave Park Primary School, Highbury Quadrant Primary School, Hungerford Primary School, Laycock Primary School, New North Academy, New River College Primary & The Bridge School, Pooles Park Primary School, Prior Weston Primary School and Children’s Centre, Sacred Heart Primary School, St Andrew’s (Barnsbury) CofE Primary School, St John’s Highbury Vale CofE Primary School, St Jude and St Paul’s CofE Primary School, St Mary Magdalene Academy, St Mary’s CofE Primary School, St Paul’s Steiner School, Thornhill Primary School, Tufnell Park Primary School, Vittoria Primary School and Whitehall Park School.
For live, or recently ended consultations on School streets, please follow this link: https://www.islington.gov.uk/environment-and-energy/pollution/air-quality/what-we-are-doing/school-streets/school-street-consultations
If your school has not yet got a school street, now it the time to put some pressure on ensuring it will be included in the accelerated scheme.
Join Islington Clean Air Parents to meet other parents concerned about air pollution, find out how you can help reduce air pollution in Islington and the effect it has on your family’s health.
Thanks to MumsforLungs for providing and sharing this template.
Islington Clean Air Parents 