Asa Thomas, Research Associate and PhD student at Westminster’s Active Travel Academy, has talked to the Evening Standard about a Westminster research, titled the Equity in temporary street closures: The case of London’s Covid-19 ‘School Streets’ schemes. The research was conducted by Lead Researcher Asa Thomas, Dr Rachel Aldred, Professor of Transport and Director of the Active Travel Academy, and Dr Jamie Furlong Research Associate at the Active Travel Academy.
The article, titled ‘School Streets’ Schemes Not Used in Roads With Worst Air Pollution, points out that hundreds of school streets schemes were introduced in London but many have bypassed roads with the worst air pollution.
The schemes prevent access for cars to the roads directly in front of schools, with many violations resulting in fines up to £130. Even so, as the Westminster research highlights, only about one in four schemes have been introduced in the most polluted areas.
The article goes on by explaining the City Hall’s standpoint, and how different London Borough’s have been tackling the issue.
Talking about the research to the Evening Standard, Thomas said: “If you live in Hackney, they are probably fairly distributed, but if you live in another part of the city, you are very unlikely to enjoy the same equity of benefits. Part of this inequity might be down to the fact that they tend to be implemented in quiet residential streets. If we are going to prioritise active travel and road safety, then we also need to develop the tools to deliver these interventions in schools on main roads as well.”
At the end of the piece Thomas touched upon the difference in school street schemes between Labour and Conservative neighbourhoods.
Read the full article at the Evening Standard’s website.
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