Members of London’s Shia Muslim community are being urged to oppose proposed traffic restrictions in Queen’s Park which could prevent parents from driving directly to the gates of Al-Sadiq and Al-Zahra schools during drop-off and collection times, while also affecting access to the neighbouring Al-Khoei Foundation.
Brent Council is considering introducing a ‘School Street’ scheme around Chevening Road in north-west London, where the Al-Khoei Foundation and its associated Islamic schools are located.
A School Street is a traffic management scheme that temporarily prohibits most vehicles from entering designated roads during school drop-off and collection times. Although intended to improve road safety and reduce congestion, the restrictions would mean that parents without exemptions could no longer drive directly to the school gates during these periods.
Instead, families would have to find somewhere to park outside the restricted area and walk their children to school.
Under the proposals, restrictions could operate between 7.30am and 9am and again between 2.30pm and 4pm on weekdays during term time, affecting several residential roads surrounding the Islamic centre and schools.
Community campaigners have described the measures as disproportionate and unfair, warning that they could create serious difficulties for families, school pupils and worshippers attending the Al-Khoei Foundation.
Concerns Over Access to Major Shia Institution
The Al-Khoei Foundation, headquartered on Chevening Road, is one of Britain’s most established Shia Muslim institutions, serving as a mosque, educational centre and hub for religious and community activities.
The Foundation and its adjoining schools have operated in the area for around four decades, serving Muslims from across London and beyond.
Unlike typical neighbourhood schools, Al-Sadiq and Al-Zahra attract pupils from a much wider geographical area, meaning many families rely on cars for their daily journeys.
Brent Council’s own feasibility study acknowledged that more than half of pupils travel by car and recognised the schools’ unusually large catchment area.
The proposed restrictions could therefore create particular difficulties for parents travelling considerable distances, especially those with younger children or several children attending the schools.
Representatives of the Al-Khoei Foundation have also raised concerns about the administrative difficulties of managing vehicle exemptions for visitors attending religious programmes and community events.
Campaigners argue that restrictions designed primarily around local school traffic could have wider consequences for a religious institution serving a community spread across the capital.
Council Defends Road Safety Measures
Brent Council maintains that the proposals are intended to address congestion, unsafe parking and traffic problems around schools while creating a safer environment for pedestrians and cyclists.
Council-commissioned consultants identified illegal parking, vehicles performing U-turns, blocked driveways and cars stopping on school markings during busy periods.
However, opponents question whether restricting vehicle access to the neighbourhood is a proportionate response to these problems.
Significantly, Queen’s Park ward councillors have also expressed reservations about the proposals in their current form, questioning their necessity and raising concerns about displaced traffic, the limited consultation area and the wider impact on surrounding roads.
The latest proposals follow earlier disagreements over Brent’s Healthy Neighbourhood plans, which were abandoned after failing to secure sufficient public support.
Community Urged to Respond
Parents, worshippers and local residents are being encouraged to voice their concerns over the proposed restrictions, particularly their potential impact on school access and the activities of the Al-Khoei Foundation.
Those affected are being urged to participate in the consultation process and contact local councillors before a final decision is made.
For London’s Shia Muslim community, the controversy raises wider questions about how local authorities balance road safety objectives with the needs of religious and educational institutions serving communities from across the capital.
While improving road safety remains important, any solution must also ensure reasonable access to the Al-Khoei Foundation, its schools and the families who depend on their services.
