Two more School Streets become permanent in Kingston
Kingston has now doubled the number of permanent School Streets in the borough, from two to four, creating safer pick-ups and drop-offs at Alexandra Primary School and St Paul’s Primary School.
As part of the scheme for Alexandra Primary School, the one-way system for Princes, Arthur and Borough Roads was also made permanent. The scheme for St Paul’s CofE Primary School covers Alexandra Road.
School Streets limit motor vehicle access during drop-off and pick-up times, supporting active travel by making it safer for children and their families to walk, cycle and scoot to school and contributing to cleaner air.
Cllr Stephanie Archer, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainable Transport at Kingston Council, said:
“This is truly fantastic - we now have four permanent School Streets schemes in place across the borough, which allow children, parents and carers to get to the school gates safely and sustainably.
“Chessington has been leading the way, with Lovelace Primary School and Castle Hill Primary School both benefiting from School Streets. I am delighted to see more schemes rolling out permanently in other parts of the borough.
“We’ve got three further School Streets trials in place across Kingston and Surbiton and I look forward to seeing these progress and, hopefully, becoming permanent, too.”
Robert Waiting, Head Teacher at Alexandra Primary School, said:
“The School Street has a direct impact on student safety by reducing traffic levels, reducing air pollution and promoting health and wellbeing. By not making it permanent and removing it would have sent the wrong message. Prior to the School Street scheme there was a constant stream of traffic and we’ve been working with officers at Kingston Council for years to implement measures which will protect members of the local community, especially children. I see the School Street as a vital part of my role to ensure everyone is safe and protected and travel sustainably to school.”
Kevin Edmonds, Head Teacher at St Paul’s Primary School, said:
“St Paul’s is pleased that the School Street scheme is being made permanent to help keep the children and families of St Paul’s and Alexandra safe. Drivers travelling around the area now understand the restrictions. The scheme greatly supports the safe journey of families to and from school."
Both schemes will continue to be monitored, with additional data being collected and reported back to the Kingston Neighbourhood Committee for discussion in six months time.
Lovelace Primary School in Chessington was the first school in the borough to benefit from a permanent scheme in March 2020, with Castle Hill Primary School, also in Chessington, following in January 2022.
The decision to approve School Streets for Alexandra Primary School and St Paul’s CofE Primary School was taken at Kingston Town Neighbourhood Committee on 26 January.
For more information on Kingston’s School Streets, please visit: kingstonletstalk.co.uk/school-streets.
To find out more about the council’s sustainable transport initiatives, visit: kingston.gov.uk/sustainabletransport.