Three Year 9 pupils, Lilian Barker, Aoi Phillips and Antonia Stutter, joined a group of similar aged pupils from The Charter School recently to take part in a consultation with four representatives from Southwark Council about safe travel to school.

After an initial meeting in the Charter School when the pupils heard from Peter Coello of ‘Safe Routes to School’ in Southwark about funding now available to improve walking and cycle access to local schools based around North Dulwich Station, the pupils headed out to the nearby streets to complete a visual audit and to discuss potential hazards of the pavement, unclear road signs and markings and difficulties in safely crossing local roads.

Lots of issues were raised including the narrowness of some stretches of pavement when pupils are often forced into the road, and the confusion of the different crossings in the newly-altered road layout at the junction of Calton Avenue and Townley Road.

The officers from Southwark said how helpful the girls had been and that all their relevant points would be considered during the design of any changes in the local area.

One cause of concern in a possible plan to make this area of Dulwich a 20 mph zone is that there have already been objections for this to occur along East Dulwich Grove, considered a major transport artery and should remain at 30mph to allow for the flow of traffic. All 3 of our pupils pointed out the hazard of crossing the road outside JAGS and said that many pupils do not walk to either of the official crossings nearby but take the most direct route across the road from near the school gates. They would all like a zebra crossing outside the school gates, which has been discussed and rejected by Southwark.

Margaret Davis
Head of Geography