Traffic Issues at Bromley Beacon Academy

Since our election in May 2022 the Lib Dem Councillors have been working with the Bromley Beacon Academy and local residents to try to resolve some problems with school traffic. Decisions made at a meeting held in November 2023 will hopefully resolve some of those issues but we will continue to work with residents and the school. 

The Academy is located in Old Holmesdale Road and provides Key Stage 4 and 5 (Year 9 -13) provision for young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. The students come from areas across the Bromley Borough and from 4 other local authorities, and the majority of the students arrive via taxi accompanied by a responsible adult. It is the congestion and other problems caused by the taxis and other private cars at the beginning and end of the school day that has caused problems to local residents.

The Academy arranged a meeting with local residents and businesses at the end of of November 2023 to discuss the problem. We're grateful to the Academy for hosting this discussion. We also thank Bromley Council's Traffic and Road Safety team and the Bromley Police School Safety team for their engagement and support on this matter.

We recognise the complex nature and important work of the Academy and we reiterated our commitment to making sure that the Academy is able to prosper at the Old Homesdale Road site and ensure that issues with taxi drop off and pick up are resolved. The Academy have undertaken to improve the marshalling of children with help from the Academy staff around the 3pm collection time and will introduce a new system where cab drivers are instructed to park on one side of the road and to wait inside their cabs until the young people are safely escorted to each vehicle.They also undertook to report any taxi drivers who are rude or inconsiderate to local residents and request the relevant local authority that they are not used again. 

We'll continue to liaise with the school and local police on this issue, and expect to have a follow up meeting with residents, local businesses and the school before Easter. If you'd like to be involved in that meeting, or if this issue is affecting you and you'd like to discuss it, please do get in touch by emailing btcouncillors@bromleylibdems.org.uk.