Harrow Council is currently undertaking trial schemes of the School Streets through the TfL’s 3-year funding programme which involves temporary road closures for streets outside selected schools during drop off / pick up hours, with access restricted to authorized vehicles.
The opposition Labour group supports the scheme due to the health benefits and easing the congestion around schools, but have voiced serious concerns about the potential use of CCTV hidden, without adequate notice, to “penalize” residents. [36 cameras for 18 sites at £20k per camera plus ongoing maintenance £4,282 per annum per camera].
The group’s greater concern is the excessive income targets that this scheme will actually see a yearly increase in revenue, from £180,000 in the first year to a staggering £810,000 in the third, mostly by using automatic number plate recognition cameras to enforce School Streets.
“As mentioned last year, the council are continuing to install widespread CCTV cameras to fine residents in these areas, unnecessarily penalising residents for the sake of hitting a financial target. I raised this issue at Cabinet this week, but my concerns were shrugged off by Conservative councillors who have clearly put their excessive income targets before residents” says Cllr David Perry, leader of the Harrow Labour Group.
But Cllr David Ashton, cabinet member responsible for the finances, asserts that “the proposals are designed to enhance safety” and the income figures are not part of the decision to proceed, which was purely safety and air quality based.
The School Streets report also says that the road traffic is the primary source of nitrogen dioxide and fine particle emissions, and that the proposed programme of School Streets will improve air quality.
Strange that the council so concerned about the impact of traffic on the air quality sought judicial review before the London mayor election 2024, to challenge London mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion to help clear up London’s air*.
The judicial review was not successful, £150,000 taxpayers money wasted and the London mayor Conservative candidate, also a Harrow councillor, was rejected by Londoners.
Harrow tried the School Streets Scheme at few schools before but in 2022 Harrow Council decided to permanently remove the Marlborough School Street due to the enforcement issues after a public consultation in that year.
The expectation is that this scheme would be fairly enforced, and the money generated from it would be ring-fenced for increased ‘lollipop people’, green screens and playground planting, and a digital and real world awareness-raising campaign to encourage active travel and discourage idling at school.
* Ultra Low Emission Zone play in Harrow
The opposition Labour group supports the scheme due to the health benefits and easing the congestion around schools, but have voiced serious concerns about the potential use of CCTV hidden, without adequate notice, to “penalize” residents. [36 cameras for 18 sites at £20k per camera plus ongoing maintenance £4,282 per annum per camera].
The group’s greater concern is the excessive income targets that this scheme will actually see a yearly increase in revenue, from £180,000 in the first year to a staggering £810,000 in the third, mostly by using automatic number plate recognition cameras to enforce School Streets.
“As mentioned last year, the council are continuing to install widespread CCTV cameras to fine residents in these areas, unnecessarily penalising residents for the sake of hitting a financial target. I raised this issue at Cabinet this week, but my concerns were shrugged off by Conservative councillors who have clearly put their excessive income targets before residents” says Cllr David Perry, leader of the Harrow Labour Group.
But Cllr David Ashton, cabinet member responsible for the finances, asserts that “the proposals are designed to enhance safety” and the income figures are not part of the decision to proceed, which was purely safety and air quality based.
The School Streets report also says that the road traffic is the primary source of nitrogen dioxide and fine particle emissions, and that the proposed programme of School Streets will improve air quality.
Strange that the council so concerned about the impact of traffic on the air quality sought judicial review before the London mayor election 2024, to challenge London mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion to help clear up London’s air*.
The judicial review was not successful, £150,000 taxpayers money wasted and the London mayor Conservative candidate, also a Harrow councillor, was rejected by Londoners.
Harrow tried the School Streets Scheme at few schools before but in 2022 Harrow Council decided to permanently remove the Marlborough School Street due to the enforcement issues after a public consultation in that year.
The expectation is that this scheme would be fairly enforced, and the money generated from it would be ring-fenced for increased ‘lollipop people’, green screens and playground planting, and a digital and real world awareness-raising campaign to encourage active travel and discourage idling at school.
* Ultra Low Emission Zone play in Harrow
Harrow Monitoring Group 
Good afternoon
Does that mean that as a resident of Latimer Gardens, opposite Pinner Wood School, that I won’t be able to use my car during designated drop off/pick up times?
Best wishes
The Revd John Swarbrick
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Hi
The first six schools selected include: Bentley Wood High School, Kenmore Park Infant and Junior School, Cedars Manor Primary School, St Anselms Primary School, The Welldon Park Academy and Earlsmead Primary School. Later, the council might include other schools and if your school is within that lot, you could ask the council for full information about the exemption etc for the local residents. Hope this helps!
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Many thanks.
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