School Run Traffic

[Insuflo]

Interesting article from today’s Grauniad:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2025/jan/14/private-school-run-in-south-london-linked-to-27-per-cent-rise-in-air-pollution#img-1

 

[CPR Dave]

It's Croxted Road? 

 

[march46]

[Rockets]

Clearly schools contribute massively to the problem but it is actually amazing that the Guardian editor/legal team let this story go to print and finger Dulwich College specifically in the way they have. Also, which private schools do those 6,000 pupils go to in Herne Hill exactly...I think the journalist might be a bit confused where the schools are....

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

 Dulwich College and the rest of the private schools are never going to get serious about reducing the number of kids commuting by private car. It goes against their business model - marketing to rich, picky parents across the whole of London (and the world).

Community schools that draw from a local catchment area will find it much easier to have kids that walk, bike, scooter etc in.

By the way, these private schools also employ hundreds of staff and provide onsite parking for many of them - an unusual perk in London. JAGS lost a lot of goodwill from neighbours and parents when they opposed the school street having effect when kids were arriving...because it would interfere with staff pulling into the car park right before the school day!

[malumbu]

It's good to see a lot of Dulwich College kids cycling home, but yes, DC aren't taking cutting down parents driving their kids to  school, and with the free drop off parking active encourage it.  Shame on them.

[Rockets]

Yes boo/hiss...how dare that famous Herne Hill school Dulwich College be the sole cause of increased pollution on Croxted Road......;-)

[malumbu]

Surely you can't be defending DCs school travel plans.  That would be incredibly blinkered thinking.

[Rockets]

No I am taking the mick out of the Guardian's conclusions that the famous Herne Hill school Dulwich College is the sole reason for an increase of pollution on Croxted Road......

[Dogkennelhillbilly]

Literally no-one said that. That's a thing you've just made up.

[march46]

For anyone interested there is more info from Solve the School Run here https://www.solvetheschoolrun.org/post/private-schools-driving-a-47-increase-in-toxic-air-pollution-and-extensive-bus-delays

[Rockets]

Is Solve The School Run being used as a political lobbying tool? Trying to pin the congestion on Croxted Road on private schools seems to be a stretch to say the least and we need to remember that the very same Croxted Road was the subject of a most unholy argument between TFL (who said that Croxted Road congestion was caused by the Dulwich LTNs) and Southwark Councillors (who angrily said it wasn’t - they made TFL staff cry and Will Norman had to jump in to keep the peace).  Now Solve The School Run state, on their website, that they are supported by Southwark Council - coincidence or cosy?

[malumbu]

Why are you defending people driving their kids to school?  Why do you jump on every pro driver argument?  It's not a debate when you  immediately take the opposite view.  The fact is when the private schools break up the week before state schools the South Circular is much quieter. 

[Rockets]

I am not. I am just wondering why an "independent" local campaign group, which seems to get funding/support from Southwark Council, has decided that increases in traffic congestion and pollution on Croxted Road is down to private schools in Dulwich....when we know that TFL said the increases were down to the LTNs - myabe the two are interlinked but no mention of that from the campaign group.....

[Insuflo]

It’s all an elaborate conspiracy that only you can divine through your righteous anger. We are such fools.