Healthy School Streets consultation - Brookfield Primary School, Croftdown Road

Overview

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how people in Camden live, travel and work. Since the start of the pandemic many of us have been spending more time closer to home, making our neighbourhoods more important than ever. We want our streets to be safe spaces for you to walk and cycle, for children to get to and from school safely and healthily, for businesses to be able to flourish and for you to be breathing cleaner air.

As 69% of households in Camden do not own a car and public transport capacity remains much lower than before the pandemic, we know that safe and easy walking, cycling and scooting routes are more important than ever. Supporting and encouraging those who are able to walk and cycle, by creating safer streets will ensure that there is more space available on public transport and on our roads for those who need it the most.

Healthy School Streets create a safer and healthier environment by temporarily closing roads to traffic outside schools during drop-off and pick-up times. This enables more children to walk, cycle or scoot to school, with less air pollution, road danger, congestion and more space for people to physically distance. Healthy School Streets help to discourage car trips, particularly amongst parents/carers, by providing a safe and inviting space for more walking, cycling and scooting.

Why your views matter

Motor vehicles on Croftdown Road, from the junction with Chester Road to St Albans Road would be prohibited at school pick-up and drop-off times. The restrictions would be enforced using an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera, which allows for some vehicles to be exempt from the restrictions. Planters will also be placed at the triangular junction with St Albans Road.

The scheme would be introduced as a trial for a maximum of 18 months. After 12 months a further consultation would be carried out to decide wheter to make the scheme permanent.

WE PROPOSE TO -

• Create a timed Healthy School Street road closure on Mondays to Fridays from 8.15am-9.15am and 3pm-4pm. This will improve safety for local residents, parents and pupils accessing Brookfield School, by preventing vehicles from accessing Croftdown Road at the Chester Road junction, and at the triangular junction at the Southern end of Croftdown Road/St Albans Road at school pick-up and drop-off times
• Install relevant signage to alert drivers of the restriction, and ANPR enforcement cameras will be placed at the junction with Chester Road, and near the triuangular junction near St Albans Road. The signage will state the road closure to all motor vehicle traffic (except exemptions – see below)   
•  Close the signs during school holidays   
• Remove the guard railing outside the school and replace it with cycle parking
• Install 4 planters at the triangular junction on Croftdown Road/ St Albans Road to block access via that arm of the triangle

The following vehicles would be exempt from the restrictions on Croftdown Road:

• Vehicles registered to properties and businesses on Croftdown Road, from the junction with Chester Road and the triangular junction with St.Albans Road
• Any vehicle being used for fire brigade, ambulance or policing purposes
• Refuse collection teams
• Blue Disabled Badge holders resident on the above section of Croftdown Road
• Pupils of Brookfield School that have a disability that prevents them from walking, cycling or scooting to school.

Taxis and deliveries will not be exempt, and these should be scheduled outside of the restricted times. However exemptions can be applied for in exceptional circumstances, such as when people with mobility issues may need essential taxis during the restricted hours.                     

If the scheme goes ahead, details of how to apply for an exemption will be posted to residents/businesses in the consultation area.     

In line with new Department for Transport guidance, we are now consulting on all new and amended Safe and Healthy Street schemes so that we can engage our local residents, businesses and stakeholders in changes happening on their streets. We want to know what you think about these proposals.

A drawing of the propsals can be found in the related documents below.

What happens next

 As the consultation is now closed,your views, and those of everyone who contributes to this consultation, will be analysed and considered, alongside relevant data available on the scheme and in light of how the scheme aligns with our current policy objectives, in order to put forward recommendations on whether to proceed with the proposals. A summary of this analysis will be provided in the decision report, and will be made available on the Camden Council website in due course.

If you have any other ideas for improvements to make travel safer and healthier in this area, please go to Safe Travel Camden Map  to make some suggestions.