St William of York School Street

Over the last year we have implemented a number of School Streets throughout the borough to improve the environment close to the school gates. School Streets involve enforcing restrictions outside a school to through traffic to reduce the volume of traffic passing by at the times children are travelling to and from school.

The primary objective of this programme is therefore to help pupils and parents to socially distance at the school gates and to create a safer environment for travel to school on foot and by bicycle, by implementing a short closure at school drop off and pick up times. However, School Streets also have many additional benefits such as improving the air quality at the school gates, encouraging daily routines that incorporate exercise and helping to reduce the impact of the school run for those that live in the immediate vicinity of the school gates.

Some School Streets have required improvement measures to make them more sustainable and to work as they were intended.

How will a School Street affect you?

The existing School Street will be changed from a closure managed by school to a camera enforced restriction. A section of Brockley Park will restrict vehicles without an exemption from 8.30 to 9.15am and 2.45 to 3.45pm on school days during term time only. Term dates can be found at https://lewisham.gov.uk/myservices/education/schools/term-dates .The School Street zone will be supported by signage advising the times of the restriction and advanced warning signage will also be in place.

There are a number of ways School Street closures will be managed due to the road layout and circumstances at each location. This section of Brockley Park will now be managed by Automatic Number Plate Recognition camera. To help to reduce speeds and calm the road at all times there will also be two sets of kerb build outs with a give way section of road between the road narrowing. Access for Emergency Services vehicles will be maintained.

For further details on this School Street please see the commonplace website, where there are a series of Frequently Asked Questions (link provided below).

What happens next?

Once you have applied for the School Street exemption you will receive an email confirming your free permit has been registered. You will not be exempt until you have received this email.

Even if you are offered an exemption, we encourage you to try to avoid driving within the School Street area during pick up and drop off times, and if you do so please do take extra care.

You are invited to comment on how the scheme is going in your experience. You may email us directly at schoolstreets@lewisham.gov.uk.

If an urgent issue arises, you can also contact the Council on 020 8314 6000.

Please note that if you live within a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) and already have a CPZ permit, you will still have to apply for a School Street permit. A parking permit does not automatically allow access into the School Street during the closure period.