Project Centre’s scheme, Lewisham School Streets, was shortlisted for the Modeshift Partnership of the year awards.
Lewisham Councils Transport team embarked on an ambitious venture, to deliver a school street programme across the most traffic congested locations in the borough. Through using no motor vehicle controls and CCTV enforcement to reduce traffic volume outside schools. Instead favouring pedestrians and cyclists at school start and finish times.
They did this to improve the environment close to the school gates. School Streets involve enforcing restrictions outside schools to reduce the volume of traffic at the times children are travelling. Air quality in the borough was a known contributor to the impact on young persons lives and well-being. The team were committed to delivering improvements using the extent of the powers available to them.
Videalert, Project Centre and NSL embarked on multiple campaigns with Lewisham Council to see roads close to schools. The roads are busy with school traffic and known to cause road safety concerns for pedestrians and cyclists. They also add to congestion and poor air quality for all.
Process
Our multidisciplinary team worked seamlessly to achieve the council’s objectives, by:
- Providing clear and consistent communication with the community, throughout consultation maps, online survey, and face-to-face conversations
- Promoting a diverse and inclusive communication strategy
- Writing to teachers to help them communicate the value and importance of the programme
- Videalert installed 45 CCTV cameras
- Introduced vehicle controls to reduce traffic volume and speed outside 22 schools
Impact
As a result of a combination of behaviour change and camera enforcement, we reduced 862,500 vehicle movements around school drop in-and off times. In the Holbeach Primary school alone, vehicle movement decreased by 75%, meanwhile in the Rushey Green Primary School there was a 32% reduction in vehicle movements.
These results also demonstrate strong behaviour change, which we have achieved through a clear and inclusive communication strategy.
It’s been transformative. Much less traffic, many more kids riding to school, you can walk on the road. It’s been great.
Emmet Ruxton, a parent at Thorpewood Primary School
It is clear from the empirical evidence that these cameras enforced in Lewisham are promoting healthier neighbourhoods and lifestyles for our children and young adults. Well-designed and publicised school streets that enjoy high levels of compliance using state-of-the-art technology and innovative, cost-effective enforcement techniques reduce traffic and pollution exactly where it needs to be reduced, where there are young lungs. For more children, and families, walking, cycling, and scooting have wide-ranging benefits across many areas, including improved personal health, a greater sense of local community, and even increased local economic activity.
Nick Ruxton-Boyle, Director of Environment, Marston Holdings
Emmet Ruxton, a parent at Thorpewood Primary School commented,
“It’s been transformative. Much less traffic, many more kids riding to school, you can walk on the road. It’s been great”.
The Modeshift Awards nomination for Lewisham School Streets
The Modeshift Awards recognise the contributions made towards sustainability and active travel. It highlights amazing projects and schemes towards rebuilding for the future of active travel.
We are proud to be recognised for our work in Lewisham and for the positive changes we’ve made. We practice the latest innovations in sustainable travel and implement some of the best tailored solutions for the communities and the environment.
