School Streets stay open to pedestrians, cyclists and residents of the street who have an exemption.

Enfield Council is seeking the views of residents, businesses, parents and school staff on proposals for six new School Streets at primary schools to improve road safety for children.School Streets, part of the wider Healthy Streets programme, aim to ensure the safety of students as they arrive at and leave school; improve the air quality nearby and encourage more young people to safely walk, cycle and scoot to school.A School Street is an area transformed into a pedestrian and cycling zone operating between Monday and Friday during the school term, during set times at drop-off and pick-up times.

School Streets stay open to pedestrians, cyclists and residents of the street who have an exemption.

The schemes also reduce emissions from motor vehicles near the school gate, so the air quality is improved around schools in hotspots of poor air quality.

The six School Streets that are proposed and are currently open for consultation are: Bowes Primary (Bowes ward), Hazelwood (Palmers Green), Houndsfield (Jubilee), St James’ Church of England in Enfield (Highway), St Mary’s Catholic Primary (Ponders End) and Wilbury Primary (Upper Edmonton).

Cllr Rick Jewell, Cabinet Member for Environment at Enfield Council, said: “We are continuing with our mission to make the roads near primary school gates safer and less polluted for our children in the borough.

“I’d encourage as many people as possible to take five minutes out of their day to provide us with their views that will shape the outcome of this important consultation.

“The Council is continuing to work in partnership with other schools to help identify future projects to improve air quality. Our overarching ambition is to deliver School Streets across the borough to enable more young people to travel safely to school.”

Enfield Council has supported 14 schools to implement School Streets since 2020 and the six schools proposed are part of a larger programme to create many more.

Kingfisher Hall Primary Academy in Ponders End implemented their School Street last year which has seen levels of nitrogen monoxide fall by 34 per cent at the school gate and nitrogen dioxide by 23 per cent.

Enfield Council is taking ambitious action now by pushing forward with its Climate Action Plan objectives, with headline targets to be a carbon neutral organisation by 2030 and for the borough to be carbon neutral by 2040. School Streets play a part in helping the Council to reach its goal.

Local people can share their views on the School Streets consultation, (quoting the reference TG1500), by email: [email protected]; by writing to: Healthy Streets, Enfield Council, Silver Street EN1 3XA or by completing a survey on the Let’s Talk Enfield website at: https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/SchoolStreets

The closing date for all comments and objections is Sunday 19 June at 23:59.

For further information on the School Streets consultation visit: https://letstalk.enfield.gov.uk/schoolstreets