Campaigners Win Battle For School Cycle And Pedestrian Zone
To combat air pollution and safety concerns
Two schools in Wandsworth will soon benefit from a new cycle and pedestrian zone after a four-year long campaign by residents, parents, teachers and local Labour councillor, Candida Jones.
Welham Road, which runs between Furzedown and Graveney schools in Furzedown, has long suffered from traffic problems which have resulted in collisions involving children, and air pollution caused by idling engines during school pick up and drop off.
After hundreds of residents signed a Labour petition asking the council to address these issues, the community has finally secured a pedestrian and cycle zone which will transform the environment around the schools by preventing cars and lorries from entering the road during school hours.
Instead of traffic, Welham Road will soon be home to planters and to the borough’s longest bike rack to encourage active travel to and from school. New barriers will also be put in place that will allow bikes, bikes with trailers and cargo bikes through, but no vehicles.
According to Cllr Jones, “At a time when we are all acutely aware of the dangers of air pollution and the need to encourage our children to take more exercise this new road lay out is especially welcome. Climate change and air pollution are global problems, but projects like these show that we can – and must - also make a difference at local level. I am delighted that after years of campaigning we have finally secured our school pedestrian zone. I hope that one day soon the community might even be able to use the new safer space for community events, concerts and perhaps even street markets”.
As soon as the new measures are in place, vehicles will no longer be able to enter Welham Road between 8.15am and 4.30pm on weekdays making it safer for children and cutting air pollution levels.
Cllr Jones added, “As a Mum who used this street every day to take my children to school I was acutely aware of how dangerous the road was so transforming this street was one of my goals when first elected as councillor. I hope this transformation will be one of many across the borough so that all children in Wandsworth will be able to benefit from cleaner, safer streets.”
April 25, 2019