Tag: Road Safety

  • Pressure grows to resolve Park Primary traffic issues

    Local residents are stepping up their challenge to Cambridgeshire County Council to resolve “worsening” parking problems on streets around Park Primary school. The school has now reached full capacity and traffic to the site has increased since these issues were first raised in 2021, heightening local concerns about the safety of active travel in the area.

    Longstanding concerns

    The absence of an adequate vehicle drop-off area at the school is at the heart of the problem, leading to motorists using nearby streets to park and walk their children to the school.

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    Private grass verges are being damaged, say residents, as motorists try to avoid blocking the routes of cyclists and pedestrians. “This is becoming urgent”, one told the Council, “with buggies forced into the road and cyclists having to avoid reversing traffic.”

    The Council is being asked to first acknowledge how the situation has arisen and then to make progress on resolving it.  

    Residents point out that before the school was built, the Council predicted around 120 vehicle movements in the area during drop-off times. But the school believes the turning circle provided for drop-off is only suitable for 30 vehicles, especially when special needs are taken into consideration.

    As a result, Narrow Close sees 20 to 30 vehicles turning around and parking there on each school day.

    Call for action

    Residents say that neither the school nor the Council has made a formal traffic and/or safety assessment of the present situation, and the Council is not contemplating any changes to the facilities provided to the school.

    They suggested that Council officers make a site visit to see for themselves the conflict between walking and cycling, and motor vehicle flows.

    In a letter on behalf of a group of residents, Dr. Alan Jones is now escalating resident concerns, asking the Leader of the Council, Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, for her views on “whether the Council should be held accountable for its stated intention to provide on-site drop-off to all parents (120+ vehicles).”

    He told HI HUB that these concerns were first raised when the plans for the site were drawn up: “Many in our community raised objections in writing that the bays around the turning circle did not seem adequate for when the school reached full capacity, but the County Council did not change its plans.

    “We are now trying to get the County Councillors and the appropriate Officers to agree whether the facility provided by the County Council is indeed fit for purpose. If it is, then we would ask them to help us and the school to bring it into full use as originally envisaged.

    “If it is not fit for purpose, then we would like them to work with us to redesign the on-site facilities to accommodate what was promised in the planning documentation.”

    Action promised

    Apologising for delays in addressing the issues, Jeremy Smith, Head of Sustainable Transport and Strategy is now proposing to meet residents in person at the site to see the situation for himself.

    He has replied to Dr Jones saying: “Given the time that has passed and how things have moved on it might be best for us to meet on site as you suggested in your letter, and with a member of the Council’s road safety team, to discuss the matters raised further.”

    READ ALSO: residents-step-up-park-primary-parking-campaign

  • Concerns grow over Park Primary traffic dangers

    Concerns grow over Park Primary traffic dangers

    A litany of road safety and parking issues have arisen around the new Histon & Impington Park Primary School since it moved to its new building on Glebe Way, the main B1049 road to Cottenham.

    Major concerns have arisen about the speed of traffic passing the entrance to the school and the adequacy of safety measures.

    The problems have led head teacher Jonathan Newman to survey parents and carers about their concerns and write to neighbours about the measures being taken by the school to address the problems, with a list of suggested improvements.

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    He said: “I am sure that you will understand that currently a significant amount of my time is taken up with dealing with issues around traffic and parking and many of these are completely out of my control. We do however want to work, wherever possible, with local residents and we will endeavour to keep you informed of any developments moving forward.”

    Local councillors are in discussion with the school about the problems and a public meeting will be arranged with County Councillor Ros Hathorn.    

    Safety issues

    Speedwatch volunteers have been monitoring traffic approaching the school crossing and found that between 5 and 10% of vehicles passing the school entrance are speeding, mostly between 35 and 40mph, though one was clocked at 53mph.

    A Speedwatch coordinator commented: “People just don’t seem to realise that they are over the limit, and of course you will always get those who are in a rush. 

    “Our aim is to be overt as a reminder to people that they should be at the correct speed limit in our village to ensure safety of all our residents. The police will also attend and carry out sessions where they can issue fines, if there is a particular problem area.”

    The school is encouraging parents and carers to raise their concerns with the Highways department at Road.Safety@cambridgeshire.gov.uk and to lobby the local authority. It would favour a 20mph speed limit and is awaiting written feedback from a formal Road Safety Audit that has taken place. In the meanwhile, the speed warning signs, which were initially placed too close to the crossing and also currently have the wrong form of display, will be replaced further away from the crossing.

    As a result of earlier lobbying, the length of crossing time at the traffic light outside the school was increased by 40% in February, and the school is hopeful that its request for double yellow lines on Cottenham Road will also be successful.

    At the crossing itself, the width of the path is thought to be too narrow, and the school is hoping that an adjacent verge will be either tarmacked or slabbed to address this.

    Parents and carers believe the pedestrian barriers at the crossing are too short, but the Highways authority is adamant that such barriers cause more problems than they solve, due to the risk of pedestrians becoming trapped against the railings as they cross the road. They have been progressively been removing similar pedestrian railings elsewhere in the interest of safety.

    The introduction of speed bumps has also been suggested, but neighbours are concerned that these would create a wider problem due to the noise levels from large commercial vehicles.

    Parking

    In the school survey, some parents complained of a lack of sympathy for people who have to drive to school.

    Local residents have been raising concerns about the need for parking in the area and Parish Councillor Yvonne Murray and Edd Stonham of Greenleas Estate Management Ltd have been working with the headteacher and the children in the School Eco Group to create signs for the Greenleas Estate about where not to park.

    The school is also drawing up a 5 minute/10-minute walking map to identify more places for parents/carers to park safely.

    The Parish Council is encouraging the community to a look at the suggestions and issues raised in the head teacher’s letter and responses have been received to a post on its website. Several of these also relate to parking. 

    One comment raises problems caused by “a staff car park with inadequate capacity” and notes that “these potential problems were brought up time and time again by residents during the planning consultation for the new school. It rather makes a mockery of planning consultation when important issues like these apparently fall on deaf ears!”

    Another points out that some parents have no option but to drop their children at the school by car: “I was able to cycle whilst we were in lockdown but now must work at the office in Cambridge, starting at 9.30. To arrive on time, I have to drive. I am left with no option but to park on nearby residential roads which understandably frustrates those that live there, despite my attempts to be as considerate as possible… the location was a poor choice.”