Road restrictions outside schools in Hackney have become targets for vandals, causing significant concern among parents regarding their children's safety. A Freedom of Information request revealed 22 incidents of vandalism to the school streets infrastructure since last June, primarily affecting primary schools in Springfield and Cazenove. Measures designed to enhance safety, including cameras and road use restrictions, have been compromised. With reports of vandalism including damage to signage and camera equipment, parents express fear about the chaotic driving conditions due to non-compliance with the measures meant to protect children as they travel to school.
Road restrictions outside Hackney schools have suffered repeated attacks by vandals in recent months, leaving parents fearful for their children's safety. Following tip-offs from residents about appalling criminal sabotage, a Freedom of Information (FoI) request to Hackney Council revealed that since last June there have been 22 reported instances of criminal damage to school streets infrastructure.
Most of the reported incidents suggest foul play: vandals have spray-painted over signs or timings, repositioned cameras, cut their wiring or leveled their support posts. One parent, Craig, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) how a camera post on Castlewood Road, where Springfield Community School is located, was cut by what looked like an angle grinder and had snapped at ground height.
There doesn't seem to be anyone there to monitor [the street] to prevent [attacks] or just physically shut it when it should be shut, he said, leaving the restricted zones effectively lawless. It's totally rammed. The cars are often like pulling out, blowing their horns at each other.
It's grim, to be honest, and pretty dangerous. Another resident, Alice, lambasted drivers acting like they had a right to drive where they shouldn't, contributing to the chaos and fear around the schools.
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