Walking, wheeling, scooting or cycling to school can help get children and young people active, and set them up for a good day at school.

Of course, not every child can walk to school, but Ealing Council’s school streets programme encourages more children to travel to and from school in a safe, fun and active way.

A school street is where the streets around a school are closed to most traffic at the start and end of the school day, so that we can keep children and young people safe from traffic.

From yesterday (Monday 10 March), an additional 3,394 pupils from 6 more schools across the borough, will now benefit from the scheme. They join the 35 schools and 15,634 pupils already enjoying a school street, bringing the borough closer to the council’s aim of all suitable schools having a school street by March 2026.

The most recent to sign up are:

• Clifton Primary School, in Southall 
• Coston Primary School, in Greenford 
• The Edward Betham C of E Primary School, in Greenford 
• Gifford Primary School, in Northolt
• Grange Primary School, in Ealing 
• Three Bridges Primary School, in Southall

Council leader Peter Mason said: “School streets are part of the council’s £28million investment into making it safer and more convenient for people to walk, wheel and cycle around the borough. Today’s 6 new school streets not only ensure children and young people benefit from our investment, but they are also a significant step forwards to ensuring all suitable schools have a school street by 2026.”

School streets benefit everyone

School streets is a nationwide plan to help children, and their families include physical activity into their day by making it feel safer and more convenient to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school.

A school street can make people’s streets more pleasant by stopping poor parking behaviour and cut-through traffic. It can also help to improve air quality by reducing congestion at busy times.

Since the borough’s first school street in 2020:

• school-related driving has reduced by up to 18%
• walking, wheeling, scooting and cycling to school has increased by up to 29%

Schools that are part of the programme have told the council that:

• there have been no near misses involving traffic and children
• pupils that have got some exercise on the way to school are arriving less stressed and more ready to learn

And, with fewer cars on the road residents have told us:

• the street is calmer, quieter and less stressful in the morning and afternoon
• there are no more school-related parking issues on the school street
• air quality feels improved

The council’s traffic surveys also show there are no significant increases in traffic, speed or volume in the areas surrounding a school street.

Helping children and young people get active

Half of children and young people in England are failing to meet guidelines for physical activity – a major risk for their long-term health, a recent study found.

The study, led by Sustrans, a charity promoting walking, wheeling and cycling, also found support from children for measures to help them cycle and walk more, including school streets.

Councillor Paul Driscoll, the council’s cabinet member for climate action, said: “We know that School streets benefit so many areas of the community, and with this recent study – we are even more confident that it’s the right way to ensure children and young people have a happy and healthy start and end to their day. We’re also getting feedback from residents that their streets are less congested and less stressful in the mornings and afternoons.”