Harrow Council to review Dalkeith Grove parking restrictions due to school traffic congestion
Harrow Council's Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Panel is set to review parking restriction timings on Dalkeith Grove following concerns raised by residents about severe congestion and safety risks caused by school traffic.
The panel heard from residents of Dalkeith Grove who described gridlock, double parking, and vehicles obstructing driveways. Specific safety risks identified include instances of driving on pavements at considerable speeds, and ambulances struggling to access the road during peak times. Residents also reported experiencing physical and verbal abuse from drivers.
The issues are primarily attributed to traffic from North London Collegiate School (NLCS) and Elwood Primary School. Residents presented their concerns during a deputation, highlighting that while Elwood Primary School has parking restrictions aligned with pick-up times, NLCS does not actively use its designated parking on Canons Drive, exacerbating the traffic problems on Dalkeith Grove.
Councillor Rhys Benjamin, who declared a pecuniary interest as a school governor and parent, noted that the NLCS parking lot on Canons Drive has a capacity for over 75 cars and is being used and is always full.
However, there was debate regarding its accessibility for parents, with some residents stating they had never seen any parents park there.
Councillor Benjamin clarified that the lot is open for parents between 3pm and 3:45pm, but acknowledged that traffic issues peak around 4pm due to after-school activities. A suggestion was made to sense-check that for the school and asking for actual data for how many vehicles we're parking there and when.
There was discussion about the original timings of the parking restrictions on Dalkeith Grove. Residents mentioned that the current timings, put forward by NLCS around 2013-2014, were not widely consulted upon, with one resident stating, We were, it was because they had more petition, obviously, as a school than us as residents.
A proposal was discussed to change the Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) timings to 3pm to 4pm and 8am to 9am.
The council follows a two-stage consultation approach for CPZ schemes, involving informal and statutory consultations. For the proposed changes on Dalkeith Grove, it was stated that the timings are always done in conjunction with residents
and that there is no incentive to put in a time that does not work with residents.
The proposal to change the CPZ timings will be assessed and rolled over to the next phase of work for evaluation.
Beyond adjusting parking restrictions, alternative solutions considered include encouraging schools to actively reduce traffic on Dalkeith Grove, exploring bollards on pavements to prevent vehicles from mounting them, and the installation of a CCTV camera to deter dangerous parking. Schools have been encouraged to use their designated parking facilities or alternative routes like Pangborn Drive to distribute traffic. Increased parking enforcement, patrols by school teachers, and headteachers being stricter with parents have also been suggested. School Street schemes, which would block access for motorists during school hours, were discussed but not supported at the time due to insufficient backing and the belief that other proposals could resolve the issues.
The proposal to change the CPZ timings on Dalkeith Grove will be assessed, as has been discussed before, this will be rolled over to the next year and as part of the next phase, and then we can evaluate this proposal for changing the timings.
Further details on the meeting can be found in the Minutes - 21 July 2026.