Brent CCTV to stop parents dropping children outside schools
Adam Shaw Local Democracy Reporter
Parents wait outside a school (stock image) - Credit: PA
A north London council plans to introduce more CCTV cameras outside schools to stop parents driving near them during drop-off and pick-up times.
Brent Council’s cabinet will discuss its “school streets” strategy, which aims to reduce pollution outside schools, at a meeting on Monday.
Cameras could be installed near up to 24 schools in Brent as part of the programme, though this will depend on the funds available to the council.
Measures are already in place at Harlesden Primary School and Wykeham Primary School, where drivers entering the restricted zones at certain times in the morning and afternoon are subject to fines.
According to a council report, the installation of more cameras will be welcomed by schools as some staff have been “subject to verbal abuse from drivers who do not support these schemes”.
The schools which could see cameras installed are: Sudbury Primary, St Robert Southwell, Mora Primary, John Keble/St Claudine’s/Maple Walk, Stonebridge Primary/Our Lady of Lourdes, Brentfield Primary, Our Lady of Grace Infants, St Mary’s Primary, Ark Franklin Primary, St Joseph Primary (Goodson Road), St Joseph Primary (Northcote Road), Princess Federica, Christchurch Primary, St Joseph Infants and Juniors, Leopold, Northview, Convent of Jesus and Mary Infants, Oakington Manor, Elsley Primary, Kingsbury Green Primary, Uxendon Manor Primary and Claremont High School, Preston Park Primary, Mount Stewart, and Kingsbury High.
Some people will be exempt from the school streets restrictions, including those living within the zones, delivery drivers, carers and licensed taxis. The schools are listed based on priority, which is calculated by looking at levels of air pollution and the number of accidents by each site.
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The council currently has the budget for 26 cameras, which came from the emergency active travel fund set up by the Department for Transport. It is expected that the operation of each camera will cost around £25,000 a year, which the council estimates will be covered by the fines given out within 18 months.
It said it will need to see if further funding becomes available to cover all the cameras at all its schools. As the cameras can be moved around, the council explained it will monitor the success of the programme at each school and, if necessary, swap things around.
The first cameras are expected to be put in place in September 2022.
