Wandsworth Council has invested £1m in updating faded signs and lines, as well as repainting and updating road markings outside 54 schools in Wandsworth to make them clearer for drivers and safer for pupils in the new school year.
Wandsworth Council has invested £1m in updating faded signs and lines, as well as repainting and updating road markings outside 54 schools in Wandsworth to make them clearer for drivers and safer for pupils in the new school year.
The changes include new zig-zag lines and other new markings to tell drivers where not to stop, park or wait, and to allow schoolchildren and other pedestrians to cross the road with a full view of oncoming traffic.
These new road markings are part of the council’s £1 million investment to update faded signs and lines across the borough over the next four years to make roads safer and increase pride in our streets.
A further 49 schools with zig-zag routes will also be upgraded, with most due to be upgraded by the end of this year and the remainder by the end of March 2025.
Councillor Jenny Yates, cabinet member for transport, said: “We know that the lines on some school streets have become blurred, making it harder for drivers using these roads to understand where they can and cannot park, and harder for children to cross the road if a car is blocking their path.
“We regularly update road markings to improve road safety, but this is the first time we have updated so many markings at once.
We want the people of Wandsworth to be proud of their streets. So, in addition to this project, we are investing £100 million over the next decade to improve our roads and pavements as part of our 10-year renewal plan, to make it easier for people to walk, cycle or drive around our communities.
”This will be paid for by the money we get from developers and it will mean we can improve the area without spending a penny on council tax.”
James Heal, headteacher at Olfarthing Primary School, added: “The new sign at Olfarthing Primary School is a great way to start the new school year.
”We have a dead end on our road, so the school and the community are very aware of the impact this will have on the safety of their children.”
These aren’t the only changes being made to ensure safe school attendance. The city council has just set an ambitious target of turning 50% of the borough’s schools into “School Streets.”
On school streets, one or more roads (or sections of roads) near the entrances to schools will be temporarily closed to motor vehicle traffic at the start and end of school hours, with pedestrian and cyclist traffic permitted.
This helps create safer, cleaner and greener communities and encourages families to bike or walk to school whenever possible.
Post time: Apr-10-2025