Hackney School Street signs vandalised with power tools

Street signs intended to enforce traffic bans during school pick-up and drop-off times were cut down with power tools on Cazenove Road, Hackney, on Monday, November 9. The Metropolitan Police confirmed they are investigating the criminal damage, which occurred shortly after 5pm. No arrests have been made.

The incident has heightened concerns among local parents about road safety. Kelly Allnutt, a parent, described her school run as "absolutely terrifying, anxiety-inducing, cortisol level rising horrible." She stated that her son struggles to cross the road safely due to aggressive driving and poor parking.

Hackney's School Streets Programme

Hackney Council operates the largest School Streets programme in the UK, with timed road restrictions covering 87 per cent of primary schools and benefiting approximately 20,000 pupils. These schemes aim to improve safety for walking and cycling and reduce air pollution. Despite general support from residents, the infrastructure has faced repeated attacks.

A Freedom of Information request revealed that between June 2024 and March 2025, there were 22 reported incidents of vandalism to School Streets infrastructure across the borough. The council has since recorded an additional 13 incidents. These attacks have included damage to camera wires, signposts, and speed tracking strips, with the recent incident drawing comparisons to the vandalism of ULEZ cameras.

Will Petty, a member of the local campaign group Low Traffic Hackney, described the School Streets as "quite uncontroversial" and highlighted that they operate for limited hours specifically to protect children. He noted that such vandalism suggests a deliberate intent to disrupt the road's traffic restrictions.

Council Response and Next Steps

Councillor Jacob Cable, Cabinet Member for Climate, Clean Air, Energy and Transport, stated that the council would not be deterred by the vandalism and remained committed to creating cleaner air and safer streets. He rejected the notion that dangerous roads and toxic air are inevitable.

Following repeated vandalism to a fixed CCTV camera previously used to enforce the Cazenove Road School Street, Hackney Council is now deploying a mobile CCTV van to patrol the area. The council has indicated that patrols will be increased. The Metropolitan Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact them, quoting reference CAD 5560/09NOV26.