Making streets safer for children

As part of our work to encourage safe, sustainable and more active ways to travel, we have worked with schools to create School Streets in Royal Greenwich.

A School Street is closed to motor vehicles at drop-off and pick-up times, encouraging families to walk, cycle or scoot to school instead. School Streets provide a range of benefits, including:

  • reducing traffic around schools at peak times
  • improving air quality
  • encouraging more exercise which will help to reduce child obesity
  • reducing road traffic collisions

Permanent School Streets

There are four permanent School Streets at:

We reviewed feedback received during the trial of these School Streets and a decision was made in November 2019 to make these School Streets permanent.

Temporary School Streets

Seven temporary School Street are also in place:

School Roads involved Start date
Charlton Manor Primary Indus Road and Nigeria Road Monday 15 June 2020
Invicta Primary Invicta Road and Siebert Road Monday 6 July 2020
Wyborne Primary Ivor Grove, between the junctions with Footscray Road and Castleford Avenue Wednesday 7 October 2020
Montbelle Primary School  Milverton Way between Adderley Gardens and Beanshaw between Crouch Croft and Green Lane  Wednesday 11 November 2020 
Deansfield Primary School Glenesk Road between Rochester Way and Dairsie Road  Wednesday 11 November 2020 
St Thomas More Catholic Primary School  Shortway Monday 15 March 2021
Invicta Primary School (Deptford)  Trevithick Street  Monday 28 June 2021

Decisions on the future options for these School Streets are due to be made later in 2022, following a review of feedback received.

How School Streets work

School Streets become pedestrian and cycle-only zones during term time at:

  • 8am to 9.30am
  • 3pm to 4pm

During these times the road, or a section of the road, is closed to motor vehicles by collapsible bollards operated by the school. 

School staff are available to allow access for emergency vehicles and blue badge holders. Residents who live on a School Street are encouraged to avoid coming and going during the closures but should contact the school for access in emergencies.

Temporary School Streets are controlled by experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) which allow us to trial the scheme, to see how well it works. This gives local residents, parents and pupils the chance to give their feedback and help us improve the way they work.

After six months we ask parents, local residents and other interested stakeholders to complete a short online survey to tell us how they think the School Street is working. The responses are then analysed and inform our decision on whether to keep the School Street, either as it is or with changes.

Have your say on current School Street consultations

Future School Streets

We want to create more School Streets and are working with local schools to consider potential new sites.

A suitable road for a School Street:

  • has a low to medium volume of traffic
  • has no bus routes
  • does not disproportionately restrict access for local residents

It is also important that the school, its staff and parents are supportive of the creation of a School Street, and compliment this support with a willingness to reduce car use in favour of walking, cycling, scooting and using public transport.

It’s also important that the school, its staff and parents are supportive of the introduction of a School Street, and reducing car use in favour of walking, cycling, scooting and public transport.

Schools that are interested in having a School Street should contact the team.