More Creative Pavements after “overwhelmingly positive response”

Creative Pavements, a collaborative effort between Sutton Council and Carshalton-based artist Doug Shaw, were piloted earlier this year with images painted on the ground to make school runs more fun.

The programme has now been extended to the Borough’s thirteen trial School Street schemes. The idea behind the designs is for youngsters to spot the ‘environmental tokens’ as they walk, cycle or scoot to school.

Doug Shaw, commenting on the community response to the works, said: 

“The reaction from families, when they see us out there installing the designs, has been overwhelmingly positive. 

“Children walking into schools find the various designs and they talk to their teachers and parents about them and the environment.

“Last week we had several families come up to us and the feedback has been that they really like walking through their neighbourhoods spotting them, that they brighten up the paths and spark the imagination.”

The Creative Pavements project is just one of a number of new measures Sutton Council is undertaking in its Safer, Active, Greener Streets programme.

The programme includes five new low traffic areas, three cycleways; and 13 active School Streets. Sutton’s School Streets limit vehicle access outside schools, encourage more walking and cycling, and improve air quality around schools at drop off and pick up times. 

Councillor Ben Andrew, Vice Chair of the Council Environment & Neighbourhood Committee, said: 

"I'm so glad that the Council has worked together with local artists on the Creative Pavements project, improving the experience of pupils coming to school in the morning.

Our School Streets schemes ensure that the roads around schools are safer, more socially distant and freer of noxious fumes. Hopefully they are now more fun too!

I look forward to spotting these clever designs near schools across the borough and smiling at the thought of more young people learning in a safer, cleaner and greener environment.

The schemes will also help to encourage social distancing, which is particularly important following the latest national restrictions coming into force."

For further information about School Streets or the Creative Pavements programme, visit our web pages at sutton.gov.uk/saferstreets