School and residents at odds over traffic plans (From Gazette & Herald)

School and residents at odds over traffic plans

A PICKERING headteacher is at odds with angry residents over plans to install road humps and traffic restrictions near two of the town's junior schools to improve safety.

Andrew Clarke, head of Pickering County Junior School, said the governors were concerned about the safety of pupils because of the volume of traffic - one child had been knocked down by a resident last year. He said traffic restrictions needed to be in place at the beginning and end of the school day.

But residents in the Swainsea Drive, Littledale, and Swainsea Lane areas sent two petitions with a total of 87 signatures to the North Yorkshire County Council's Ryedale area committee meeting at Nawton village hall, objecting to the speed humps. In addition, 41 people sent letters.

Highways officers told the meeting that the scheme aimed to provide a 20mph speed limit zone, traffic calming and waiting restrictions in Middleton Road and Swainsea Lane. Talks had been held with St Joseph's Roman Catholic School and Pickering County Junior School over the plans.

But they failed to find support from the town council, which claimed there should have been wider consultation with residents who would be affected.

Trevor Schofield said he was speaking for a number of residents when he said there had been no school-related accident for seven years.

"Under these proposals, residents will be committing an offence if they park outside their homes on Christmas Day!"

He told the committee that the county highway procedures over the proposed scheme "appear to be negative and secretive" because there had been no consultation with residents.

Mr Schofield said that as Pickering was to get a traffic management strategy next year, it was wrong to introduce the scheme piecemeal.

Resident Brian Kelleher said there were fears that children would use the speed bumps as unofficial crossing places, putting themselves and motorists in danger of causing an accident.

Waiting restrictions would mean motorists would migrate to nearby areas and create a parking hazard in other residential areas, and people were afraid of the damage caused to vehicles regularly travelling over the road humps.

He added: "It's time we had a full public meeting in Pickering for the people to discuss all the alternatives.

Mr Clark, however, spearking for staff and governors at all three schools, insisted that such measures would protect children.

He said: "The governors are very concerned about the safety of our children.

"Nine years ago, I was called to Middleton Road to collect my son who was unconscious in the middle of the road and had to be hospitalised.

"Last year, we had a child knocked down by a local resident straight outside the gate - fortunately none of these have been fatalities."

But Mr Clark said they were as keen as anyone to ensure the scheme did not have an adverse effect on those involved.

"We wish to work with residents and have the support of residents," he said.

County Coun Betsy Hill said she was not happy with the recommendations.

"There is a need for a sensible scheme to make things safer for the 1,500 children using the area to get to school."

She added that there had been four recorded accidents involving injuries in three years.

She said that a consultation meeting should be held.

One householder said she feared Middleton Road would become a second Market Place in Pickering where young motorists went over the road humps at speeds as high as 50mph "to see how much they can make the girls scream".

Coun Gaynor de Barr said: "There is a problem in this part of the town which affects both parents and school staff."

County Coun David Lloyd-Williams said: "The speed of modern cars together with the presence of children can be a horrifying picture."

The committee chairman County Coun Geoff Rennie said: "We are not satisfied that enough people have had their views taken into account."

It was agreed that a further meeting should be held to discuss any amendments that could make the scheme more acceptable to residents. But councillors said the issue should be decided by them, and not delegated to officers.

Updated: 09:21 Wednesday, October 16, 2002