Kiss-and-ride closures at Milton schools cause battle between Town and Halton board

The closing of kiss-and-rides at Milton schools has become a bone of contention between the Town and the Halton District School Board.

The Town says the student drop-off areas are mandatory as they’re part of the facility’s approved site plans. The Board is pushing back, saying student safety comes first.

The issue cropped up near the end of the last school year.

On June 18, Jill Hogan, Milton’s commissioner of Development Services, wrote a letter to Ian Gaudet, the Board’s superintendent of Facility Services and Planning.

“I am writing to seek your assistance and cooperation for the 2024-25 school year as it has come to our attention that some schools have closed their kiss-and-rides and parking lots to car traffic during high-volume time.”

The letter points out that school sites must operate in accordance with their approved site plans and kiss-and-rides are designed to prevent vehicles from spilling out onto the streets.

“This design only works when the school is abiding by their site plan.”

Hogan suggests not all school principals might not be aware of the rule and asks the Board to remind everyone to operate within the rule.

“Any deviations from the approved site plan must be approved by the Town of Milton.”

Gaudet, however, says an increase in both students and the number of cars dropping them off has increased, “beyond what these areas were set up to safely accommodate.”

In a statement provided to INhalton.com Gaudet gave no indication the kiss-and-rides would be reopened in Milton or anywhere else in the region where they’ve been closed, including Oakville, Burlington and Halton Hills.

“Over time, there has been a significant increase in automobile dependency for home-to-school travel, with fewer students walking/wheeling and/or taking the bus to school,” said Gaudet.

“This has resulted in school sites and drop-off/pick-up areas being overwhelmed with parent/guardian traffic which has created safety concerns for students and staff managing the site.

“Ultimately, some school drop-off/pick-up areas and some parking lot areas have been closed off to vehicle access and/or controlled during high-volume times to ensure the safety of students, families and staff.

“School administrators continue to communicate to their school communities the importance and advantages of walking/wheeling and taking the bus to school. This issue is not unique to Milton and this approach is taken at other HDSB schools when needed to ensure safety.”

There is no list of which schools have closed their student drop-off areas.

Both sides have said they’re willing to work together to find a solution, but with the Board continuing to defy the Town’s rules, the next move is clearly Milton’s.

“Should schools contravene their site plan agreements, the Town may need to consider enforcement options,” wrote Hogan in her June letter.