- EVANS Torla Green Party
- GAYLE Janet Independent
- SANDERS Nicholas James Liberal Democrats
- YAASEN Leila Conservative
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….as SECOND school puts Lambeth council on the very naughty step over LTN – because more pupils were being mugged
A second school has put Lambeth council on the very naughty step over the Streatham Wells Low Traffic Neighbourhood.
Bishop Thomas Grant school, in their response to a Freedom of Information request, say the number of their pupils being mugged increased once the LTN was introduced.
“We saw an increase in our students being mugged on ‘ghost town’ roads as they walked towards the High Road to try and get on buses which do not come” said headteacher Bernadette Boyle.
“We regularly patrol the local area after school, including Streatham High Road.
“As is the case on many occasions, the children wait nearly an hour for a bus to get home.
“We hang about between the bus stops with them to make sure that they get on to transport and are safe… it is having a huge impact on my time and the time of my senior leadership team.”
The head teacher’s responses:
QUESTION 1) Lambeth Council Consultation – Streatham Wells Low Traffic Neighbourhood.
Lambeth did send us some info which we replied to at the time. We made it very clear with specific examples of the difficulties that the LTN would pose.
QUESTION 2) Staff concerns/communication re the impact of the SW LTN
Undoubtedly, our punctuality has been hugely impacted by the LTN. We are a school who has just won an award for our attendance compared to national data, and we have always put a huge amount of work in to building a culture of attendance and punctuality… which quite frankly feels as if it is being torn apart now.
And some fail to understand the impact it has on a child if they keep arriving late at school, never mind the disruption it causes for the rest of the school and culture of learning.
QUESTION 3) Parental concerns/communication re the impact of the SW LTN
Whilst we haven’t had a huge amount of complaints from parents, there have been some, and there are also some parents who think that I have the power to change the LTN.
QUESTION 4) School response to impact of the SW LTN
The issue of lateness and the LTN is regularly discussed at my SLT Meeting, and is often brought up by pastoral staff too.
I sent a letter to Lambeth, and the local schools police sergeant, as we saw an increase in our students being mugged on ‘ghost town’ roads as they walked towards the High Road to try and get on buses which do not come. I also addressed it with parents.
We regularly patrol the local area after school, including streatham high road. As is the case on many occasions, the children wait nearly an hour for a bus to get home. We hang about between the bus stops with them to make sure that they get on to transport and are safe… it is having a huge impact on my time and the time of my senior leadership team.
QUESTION 5) Lambeth Council’s response to the impact of the SW LTN.
We had a visit on the evening of our carol service before Christmas from a Lambeth councillor – I understood she was coming for the carol service, but she didn’t stay for that, and briefly spoke to me about the LTN. I made it clear the issues we were facing as a school.
QUESTION 6) Air Quality in the vicinity of the school
There is no specific monitoring that has happened for us at school, but I would be very keen to have it done, as I am sure the constant traffic jam down the side of the common and excess traffic on the high road must be having some impact.
QUESTION 7) Impact of the SW LTN on staff attendance and punctuality.
Many staff have reported that their journey time has increased significantly which is impacting their well-being.
Editor’s note: THe FOI request posed the same questions to Bishop Thomas Grant school which had already been put to Julian’s primary school on Leigham Court Road: Blocked-off roads: School puts Lambeth council on the VERY naughty step over Streatham Wells Low Traffic Neighbourhood
NEWS FROM CRYSTAL PALACE 