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School parking phase out is well planned
• I feel compelled to address some of the points raised
against Camden Council in the article “Jamie’s knives
out over school-run clamp down” (February 23).
Stag (Schools Travel Action Group) claims that the council’s
decision to phase out school-run parking permits was imposed
without proper consultation. This is incorrect.
In 2002 Camden Council held a public inquiry into the school-run
issue following residents’ concerns that the volume of
traffic and illegal parking during the school run was blocking
up the roads and making the streets dangerous for pedestrians
and cyclists.
The council subsequently, in a cross-party decision, decided
to gradually phase out the school run parking permits by 2008.
The School Travel Plans, developed in co-operation with teachers,
parents and the council, have proven to be vital in providing
parents with viable solutions to car transport. The travel plans
present a series of measures to reduce school-run traffic such
as walking groups/buses, car sharing and cycling and have reduced
Camden’s school-run traffic by 12 per cent over the last
year.
Camden Council has given schools a great deal of support in
producing and implementing their plans. Camden Council has also
continued to review public transport options. But schools must
take responsibility for preparing parents for the phasing out
of school-run parking permits. Since 2003 the council has advised
schools against issuing permits to new starters, as these would
not be available during the entire duration of a child’s
stay at their school.
A lack of communication on this issue has caused parents, who
now stand to lose their school-run parking permit, additional
distress.
The aim of phasing out school-run permits is not to stop all
parents from driving their children to school, but to encourage
parents to think about healthier and more environmentally friendly
alternatives.
Cllr John Thane
Executive Member for Environment
Camden Council
• I was at the very peaceful and calm demonstration
against the council’s “school-run” policy on
March 1 (Rival Parents Fight over School Run, March 2).
With around 300 parents and young children (the police’s
estimate) turning out on a snowy, cold evening, it was in the
words of some councillors “the most impressive and biggest
demonstration ever seen outside town hall”.
Your headline was highly inaccurate and unbalanced and the way
you have cropped your photo means that it does not give a true
picture of the event at all.
Two men certainly turned up with banners towards the end, highlighting
their concerns about pollution and the environment. There were
no fights at all.
Since when do two men make a “rival group” compared
to 300 parents?
In fact, the Schools Travel Action Group (Stag), made up of
both state and independent sector parents, who organised the
event and presented a 1,500 signature petition to the council,
specifically aim to “cut the school-run traffic” and
are asking for the council’s help to do so.
What the group objects to is the complete removal of permits
by the council before workable green transport alternatives
such as a network of safe cycle lanes around schools, more pedestrian
crossings, improved public transport and ideally school buses
with set aside drop-off points are in place to make it possible
for parents to ditch their cars and make the journey to school
a pleasant and environmentally friendly experience.
I greatly look forward to reading a full report next week in
your newspaper, which I hope will be up to your usual high standards
of balance and accuracy.
Jackie Orlik
Ingham Road, NW6
• I think Jamie Oliver should think back.
He tried on his TV programme Jamie’s Kitchen, with
some success, to motivate young people to work in his restaurant.
One of the biggest problems was getting them out of bed and
off to work. If his wife cannot get herself the short distance
from the family home to the school in Fitzjohn’s Avenue
what example is she showing her children?
Ironically, Jamie travelled most of the time through London
on his scooter to avoid the traffic, much of it caused by the
multitude of SUVs.
Subsequently though, he further endeared himself by campaigning
to get children off junk food and motivate them to improve themselves.
But less junk food is only part of the package, exercise is
essential too. It would have been good to read that privately
his family were keen to see their children get some exercise
too, rather than try to use their status to gain publicity for
basically a selfish use of valuable road space not to mention
the attendant pollution caused.
As for the other “names” living in Primrose Hill and
wanting to traverse the borough twice daily, they chose their
homes and then their children’s schools. If the conditions
imposed by the rest of society are too onerous they still have
the freedom to change either home or school.
Camden Council must be backed in its stance to reduce wasteful
journeys.
L Freitag
Heath Street
London, NW3
• I happened to be cycling past the demonstration outside
the Town Hall about the school run. I went over to talk to one
of the rival protesters who held a placard about pollution and
children needing exercise.
I was verbally attacked by one of the mothers who accused
me of being a “do-gooder.” As a governor of a primary
school and a cyclist I am incensed by the selfishness and arrogance
of these parents.
Outside my school there is a constant problem of an, albeit
small, number of large 4x4 vehicles which are a danger to our
smaller children. As a cyclist I need to be extremely vigilant
near school gates at arrival and departure times to avoid being
hit by cars manoeuvring to park.
There is a constant danger to children while these “do-badders”
continue to use their cars for the school run.
Mick Farrant
Oak Village, NW5
• Mrs Jools Oliver says: “Not everybody has the
luxury of living close enough to walk to school” (Jamie’s
knives out over school-run clampdown, February 23).
I would love to tell her that not everybody has the fortune
of sending their children to a private school in Hampstead.
My advice to her is “send your kids to a local school within
walking distance”.
Name supplied
Phoenix Road, NW1
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