• What Is the Hackney School Streets Scheme?
  • Operating Hours and How Enforcement Works
  • Who Can Get an Exemption?
  • Exemptions for Residents and Businesses
  • Exemptions for Disabled People and Carers
  • Exemptions for School Transport Operators
  • Which Schools Are Covered? All 53 Zones Listed
  • How New School Streets Are Trialled and Made Permanent
  • Jimac Cars: Reliable School Transport Across Hackney

What Is the Hackney School Streets Scheme?

Hackney Council’s School Streets programme started in 2017 with five pilot schools. There are now 53 active zones across the borough, from Stoke Newington to Shoreditch, Clapton to Hoxton, and nearly all have been made permanent after successful trials.

The scheme restricts vehicle access to roads directly outside schools during the school day’s busiest windows. During operating hours, only pedestrians and cyclists can enter the zone – this applies to everyone, including parents, school staff, and delivery drivers. 

The goals are to cut congestion at the school gates, reduce air pollution, and make it easier for children to walk or cycle to school without competing for space with cars.

Hackney has also published a free toolkit for other local authorities wanting to run their own School Street schemes, which other councils across the country have since adopted.

Operating Hours and How Enforcement Works

All Hackney School Streets operate Monday to Friday during school term time only. They do not run during school holidays or at weekends.

Most zones are active 8.30am–9.30am and 3pm–4pm, but there are a handful of exceptions worth knowing:

  • Zones SS1–SS9 generally run 8.30am–9.15am and 3.15pm–4pm
  • SS6 (Audrey Street/Dove Row) extends to 4.30pm in the afternoon
  • SS9 (Lancell Street area) runs 8.30am–9.30am and 3.15pm–4.15pm
  • SS31 (The Olive School, Clapton Square area) has earlier times: 7.45am–8.45am and 2.45pm–3.45pm
  • SS50 (Clapton Girls Academy) runs 8am–9am and 2.30pm–3.30pm
  • SS51 (Hackney New Primary School) runs 8am–9am and 3.30pm–4.30pm

Pedestrian and cycle zone signs are placed at each entry and exit point. Some zones use physical barriers; others use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras that can issue penalty charge notices. If you’re already parked inside a zone when restrictions come into force, you can leave without a penalty – the cameras target vehicles entering the zone, not those already present.

TfL buses are automatically exempt from all School Street zones and continue to run as normal.

Who Can Get an Exemption?

There are two formal exemption categories – residents and businesses, and disabled people and carers – plus a separate route for school transport operators. Each is handled slightly differently.

Exemptions for Residents and Businesses

If your vehicle is registered to an address inside a School Street zone, you can apply for an exemption. This covers both residential addresses and business premises inside the zone.

One important shortcut: if you already held a resident parking permit that was registered to your vehicle at the time the School Street launched, your vehicle is automatically exempt. No application needed.

You will need to submit an application if:

  • You’ve moved into a School Street zone since it launched
  • You live inside a zone but have recently changed your vehicle
  • You live inside a zone but don’t hold a resident parking permit — for example, if you use off-street parking

Hackney has published six eligibility self-check documents on Google Docs, covering zones SS1 to SS53, so you can confirm your address qualifies before applying. Once you’ve checked, the online application form is available on the Hackney Council website.

Exemptions for Disabled People and Carers

People who need vehicle access for accessibility or care reasons can apply for what Hackney calls a “special exemption.” This covers:

  • Blue Badge holders who need vehicle access to a property inside the zone, including the school itself
  • Carers who need to reach someone living inside the zone by vehicle

These applications are reviewed individually. Hackney may ask for supporting evidence, but the council does consider each case on its own merits. If you think this applies to you, it’s worth applying.

Exemptions for School Transport Operators

School transport operators who need to pick up or drop off a pupil inside a School Street zone can apply for an exemption. This uses a separate application form from the resident route, available on the Hackney Council website.

This is especially relevant for providers transporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), where door-to-door vehicle access isn’t a convenience – it’s often a necessity built into a child’s transport plan.

Which Schools Are Covered? All 53 Zones Listed

Below is the full list of active permanent School Street zones in Hackney:

You can view an interactive map and download the full zone PDF on the Hackney Council School Streets page.

How New School Streets Are Trialled and Made Permanent

New zones are introduced as experimental traffic orders that can run for up to 18 months. The council reviews each scheme at the nine-month point.

The review looks at whether the road is calmer, safer, and cleaner during operating hours. Hackney works with schools to collect data on how pupils and staff travel, and may also monitor traffic volumes, speeds, and air quality readings. If the results are positive, the scheme moves to a permanent traffic management order.

The programme first launched in 2017 with five schools. In 2020, with TfL Streetspace funding, Hackney added 40 more schools within a few months. The council has since released its School Streets toolkit publicly so other local authorities can use its design templates and guidance — free of charge.

Find more details on Hackney Council – School Streets here.

Jimac Cars: Reliable School Transport Across Hackney

If you’re arranging regular school transport in Hackney, understanding which streets have restrictions and when they apply is part of getting the route right. Misjudging a School Street zone – even once – can mean a penalty notice and a delayed pick-up.

At Jimac Cars, we stay up to date with Hackney’s School Street zones and plan routes accordingly. Whether you need a dependable school run, transport to a school within one of the restricted zones, or a regular arrangement that fits around term-time hours, we sort the logistics so families don’t have to.

Let Jimac Cars provide safe and reliable transport for families and young people with SEND needs, making every journey easier and stress-free.

Reach out to the Jimac Cars team to talk through your requirements.