School Streets: Thomson House

Overview

A School Street is where a road with a school temporarily closes to reduce vehicular traffic during the school's opening and closing times, to enhance the safety of school children.

There are many benefits of Schools Streets including keeping the area outside the school gates free of congestion, reducing idling vehicles and potentially improving air quality, encouraging active travel to school, creating a pleasant and calm atmosphere at the start and end of the school day and, of course, improving road safety.

The council is introducing a School Street trial at Thomson House School. Further information of the School Street schemes and drawings of them can be viewed on the School Street pages of our website. A map of the proposed changes for this school street can be seen here.

The proposed measures are in response to the success of the 14 existing School Streets that were made permanent last year and the trial will be implemented under an Experimental Traffic Order (ETO).

What is an Experimental Traffic Order?

ETOs are used to deliver immediate and short-term measures that require monitoring and further review giving the council the opportunity to trial measures.

The schemes could only be made permanent via a Permanent Traffic Order following a formal decision by the council’s Transport and Air Quality Committee.

Whilst there is no requirement for formal consultation in advance of introducing the temporary measures, the council recently invited comments from local residents and the school staff and parents/guardians and due to majority support from those that gave feedback, we are proceeding with a statutory 6-month trial period following implementation whereby anyone may comment in writing and all comments must be considered.

An ETO can be amended or withdrawn at any time. The council will monitor the trial schemes and review the data collected. The council then has the option to make amendments to the schemes during the trial period to improve their effectiveness.

Have your say

If you have a question about the School Streets Scheme generally, you may find the answer in our Frequently asked questions about School Streets page. 

The local ward Councillors and the Cabinet Member of the Transport and Air Quality Services Committee support the trial going ahead, but emphasise that this is a trial. Real-life evidence and resident/school feedback will be collected and reviewed before any conclusions on the scheme are reached.

The council is keen to hear the views of local residents, the school community and businesses throughout the trial period. The trial for this school is due to commence on 24 April 2023 and feedback can be submitted via the 'Online survey' link below.

If you require a paper copy of the survey or a different language/format, please contact schoolstreets@richmond.gov.uk with 'Thomson House School Streets' in the subject line or call (020) 8891 7823.