Road Closure Outside Southover School: March 2021

On 12 February 2020, young people and adults gathered at Priory School to discuss environmental action across Lewes schools. Among the ideas raised was a simple but powerful proposal: temporarily closing selected feeder roads during school drop-off and pick-up times. The aim was to ease congestion, improve safety, and enhance air quality around school gates.

One attendee, Emma Montlake, took this idea back to Southover Primary School, where there had long been concerns about congestion outside the school entrance on the narrow Potters Lane. The daily gathering of children and parents in close proximity to traffic created an ongoing safety issue and contributed to poor air quality.

When schools closed in March due to COVID-19, many projects understandably paused. However, once schools reopened, Headteacher Noel Fadden revived the proposal. He raised the issue with East Sussex County Council, and with strong support from parents, the local community, and Cycle Lewes, the council responded positively. East Sussex Highways agreed to progress an application to introduce a timed road closure on Potters Lane, subject to funding being secured.

Although the children were not directly involved in implementing the changes, they were the ones who set the idea in motion. This initiative stands as an early example of how Green United empowers young people to influence local environmental improvements and build confidence in shaping the future of their community.

As Martha, Year 6, reflected:

“I like the fact that it’s better for the environment. The air seems fresher now without all the cars sitting there with their engines running.”