Residents are pushing for road safety measures near a Chingford primary school to tackle ‘speeding’ and ‘dangerous’ drivers, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents living near Ainslie Wood Primary School in Chingford say drivers often use Ainslie Wood Road as a cut-through between Chingford Mount and Highams Park.

Cars mount the pavements and drive at 40mph in spite of the 20mph limit, one resident told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The council says it is aware of residents’ concerns, which are caused by a “triple whammy” of poor driver behaviour, the excessive use of Ainslie Wood Road as a shortcut, and large numbers of parents and carers driving their children to school.

Deputy council leader Clyde Loakes said the town hall would “continue to look at ways that we can improve our neighbourhoods for all road users and ensure local children can travel to school safely and confidently”.

Alan Kelly, a local resident, said: “Every morning and afternoon, pedestrians primarily going to and from school have to navigate the perils and hazards of dangerous driving.”

He continued: “There are near misses and potential accidents – and all so commuters can continue to use this narrow residential street to shave a few seconds off their commute.”

Fellow resident Jack Driver, who has lived in the area for two-and-a-half years, said the situation meant people would also park on side roads, which could “exacerbate” the issues.

He said that just one driver needed to “park badly” for there to be a knock-on effect in the neighbourhood.

He proposed a width restriction at the end of each road, which he called “plausible and affordable,” in lieu of “proper” traffic calming measures to “do away with the rat run”.

The council carried out four consultations with residents between December 2021 and May last year, taking suggestions on how to make the area safer, in particular for school children and their parents and carers.

Residents, however, feel they were too broad to produce a clear solution.

Alan told the LDRS the process had been “really frustrating”.

He said the council “cast too wide a net” with its proposals, so residents “without a vested interest in the street” would shoot them down.

Blanket policies, such as an area-wide controlled parking zone to limit on-street parking at certain times, did not fit and were attacked by locals.

Residents can suggest their own solutions, but Alan said that would only work “if we all suggested the exact same thing”.

He said: “For the safety of everybody – but particularly school children, parents and guardians, and pedestrians – the council should be developing a plan to reduce traffic during school times and stop drivers using this narrow residential street.”

Conservative councillor Catherine Saumarez said the group had raised the issue of road safety in the area with the council “countless times”.

She said: “The rigid refusal to think of a solution that doesn’t involve charging residents, or even to simply install bollards to prevent reckless drivers mounting the pavement next to the school is extraordinary.

“A one-size-fits-all solution clearly won’t work here, so we urge the council yet again to work with residents to find a solution and install basic measures before a child is seriously injured or worse.”

However, Cllr Loakes said residents did not seemingly accept that change was needed.

He said: “Feedback to these consultations suggest that whilst residents agree there are issues, they aren’t yet prepared to concede that bold action and some change to their parking and travelling status quo is required to help protect the children of Ainslie Wood Primary School.

“Only the idea to extend the existing waiting restrictions that was put forward in the May 2024 consultation received overall support, and this has subsequently been implemented.”

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