Friday 21st July 2023
Dear Parent/Carer,
Haringey Council have confirmed that The Devonshire Hill Nursery & Primary School will have a School Street from:
Tuesday 5th September 2023
This will be known as SS29 and will operate between the junction of Barclay Road/Weir Hall Road up to the junction of Weir Hall Road/Oak Avenue (please see the attached map).
Operating times are: Monday – Friday 8.30am to 9.15am and between 2.30pm to 3.45pm on weekdays, during term time only.
If you currently drive to school, you will need to plan to walk, cycle, scoot or use public transport on the school run.
Exemptions are available if you or your child(ren) have a disability and have a blue badge – please contact us to arrange an exemption to enable you to drive to school. Haringey has provided the below information which explains the purpose behind School Streets.
Why are Haringey introducing a School Street?
The School Street will lead to improved air quality and road safety at our school, by reducing traffic at drop off and pick up time. Many adults and children in Haringey suffer from respiratory conditions that are caused or exacerbated by vehicle pollution. Cars travelling to/from Haringey schools contribute significantly to air pollution in our borough, and many children are exposed to high levels of toxic fumes because of these cars. Reducing the number of vehicles around our school will reduce the pollution that our children breathe in. There is evidence that fewer cars reduces congestion and improves road safety, making arriving and leaving school safer and more pleasant for our whole school community.
A School Street is also a chance for us to increase active travel to and from school. Most families live within 10 minutes’ walk of the school – walking, cycling and scooting are all forms of exercise that can help your child(ren) have an active start to the day and arrive at school ready to learn. Please see the attached map for more information. Haringey’s 5/10 minute walking map can be requested from smarter.travel@haringey.gov.uk.
What do other schools say:
Over 500 School Streets are already operating across London, including 23 at schools in Haringey. Headteachers at Haringey schools with School Streets, have reported that the scheme makes the environment calmer, and the air seems cleaner. Council research has also found that over 70% of parents support the schemes at their children’s schools. Ultimately, we expect that our new School Street will make our pupils’ journeys safer and less polluted.
How does the School Street work?
- The Council will install signage to make drivers aware of the School Street and its operating hours. (see attached map for details of signs for the whole zone).
- CCTV cameras will monitor the scheme, using automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) for all vehicles that enter the School Street during its operating hours, and a penalty charge notice (PCN) will be issued, if the vehicle is not registered for exemption for SS29.
- Vehicles without a valid exemption will only be liable for a fine when entering the School Street. Any vehicle can leave a School Street at any time.
- Exemptions are limited to residents and businesses/schools within the street(s), parents/carers who have a disability or child/ren with a disability and up to 10% of staff.
- Emergency vehicles always have access.
- The road is not completely closed to traffic, so normal road safety precautions should be used.
We know there will be a period of adjustment for all of us as the scheme is implemented, and we’ll be working with you to prepare over the next few weeks. You can also find out more information on the Council’s website: https://www.haringey.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/travel/smarter-travel/school-streets
We ask for support from the whole school community to ensure the success of this scheme, helping to create a safer and more pleasant environment around the school. With the introduction of this School Street, we hope that more children and families will use active travel as a means of getting to school.
The Council has lots of tips and free services available to support you to walk or cycle, including free cycle training and bike hire. You can find out more here: https://www.haringey.gov.uk/parking-roads-and-travel/travel.
Kind regards,
Julie D’Abreu | Headteacher
