Purpose

This report seeks approval from the Director of
Environment and Sustainability, following consultation with the
Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable Camden, to make
permanent the trial Healthy School Streets (HSS) scheme for St
Christopher’s School on Belsize Lane, and Maria Montessori
School and Devonshire House Upper School on Lyndhurst Gardens. The
trial scheme was implemented under an Experimental Traffic Order
(ETO) which came into force on 25th May 2023 for up to 18 months,
as part of Phase 5 of the Council’s Healthy School Streets
programme and a decision is sought before the ETO expires on 24
November 2024.
 
In addition, and in response to feedback received during
the trial period, this report seeks approval to bring forward
additional permanent measures, subject to Traffic Management Order
(TMO) consultation. These include installing a zebra crossing on
Lyndhurst Road and keep clear zig zag markings on Belsize Lane to
improve road safety for children and amending the times of the HSS
restrictions for both schools to better align with school drop off
and pick up times and ensure optimal benefits of the restrictions
when most children are arriving or leaving the school
building. 
 
This decision report sets out the reasons it is proposed
to make the trial scheme permanent and the options available to the
decision maker. This report also includes a review of the public
engagement responses and feedback received during the trial period,
objections to the ETO and monitoring conducted during the trial
period which have informed officers’
recommendations.
 
This report follows the ‘Camden Transport Strategy
(CTS): Review of Progress since 2019 and Proposed Three Year
Programme 2022/23 to 2024/25 (SC/2022/34) report. The latter
includes a delivery plan for achieving goals set by Camden
Transport Strategy which in turn seeks to deliver the outcomes set
in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy to provide Healthy Streets
– streets where more people walk, cycle and use public
transport.
 
The proposals in this report align with our key strategies
and plans, including We Make Camden, the CTS, the Climate Action
Plan and Clean Air Action Plan.

Content

THAT, having
considered the stakeholder feedback provided and monitoring carried
out during the trial period, set out in the Monitoring Factsheet
(Appendix C), the Trial Feedback Report (Appendix B) and the
results of the Equality Impact Assessment (Appendix D), and having
due regard to the needs set out in section 149 of the Equality Act
2010, the Director of Environment and Sustainability, following
consultation with the Cabinet Member for Planning and a Sustainable
Camden, approves:
 

Making permanent the current,
trial timed healthy school street restrictions in place on Belsize
Lane between the junctions of Wedderburn Road and Ornan Road,
and on Lyndhurst Gardens between the
junctions of Lyndhurst Road and Wedderburn Road.

 

Progressing additional elements
proposed in response to engagement during the trial period, through
further statutory TMO consultation. These measures include a zebra
crossing on Lyndhurst Road, installing keep clear zig zags in front
of St Christopher’s school on Belsize Lane, and amending the
times of the HSS restrictions.

 

Delegates to the Chief Engineer
the authority to take any further decisions required for these
schemes, including consideration of any objections to Traffic
Management Orders (where required), detailed design and
implementation and in compliance with statutory
requirements.