An emergency meeting about road safety around Les Nicolles schools will take place tomorrow.
AN Emergency meeting will take place tomorrow about road safety around the new Les Nicolles schools.
Environment is under pressure from both Education and residents who believe its ‘wait and see’ approach could endanger pupils at St Sampson’s High and Le Murier special needs school. It has also emerged that the Environment committee’s stance, backed by four out of five board members, went against the advice of its own staff.
The emergency departmental meeting was prompted by Deputy Ivan Rihoy who wants to see speed cushions installed. Les Effards resident Peter Lihou is trying to get a consensus from concerned parties on what approach should be adopted.
Before the schools open he wants:
*two ‘Cobo-style’ full-width speed cushions in Les Effards and three in Baubigny;
* a 15mph speed limit in both roads. Because children will be accessing the school throughout the day, evenings and weekends he believes this must be full time;
* green lane access for pedestrians and cyclists;
* pavements in the parts of Baubigny where there are currently none.
Environment’s current proposal is for traffic lights at the junctions of the new road past the schools with Baubigny and Les Effards, and moving the quarry wall back at the Baubigny crossing.
A 25mph speed limit is already in place and is under review as part of the island-wide investigation into speed restrictions.
Environment then wants to see what happens when the schools open in September before any more traffic calming takes place.
‘It’s putting the lives of kids in danger while they wait to assess what the situation will be,’ said Mr Lihou.
‘People come flying along this road. My son was hit by a car last year that didn’t stop. His arm was bruised for months. Traffic mixing with kids walking along at peak times is just a recipe for disaster, something has to be done.’
Another Les Effards resident, Bryan Todd, 40, said the residents had heard nothing from Environment. He would not let his daughter walk to school.
‘You can’t improve road safety by just letting it happen,’ he said.
‘A strategy is needed now while they are working on the roads.’
Main drains are currently being installed.
‘Raised tables will help or a one-way system up towards Capelles. Kids are being put in danger.’
Environment staff were sent away after a meeting last Tuesday to produce another report on traffic calming. This will include speed cushions and the possibility of introducing pedestrian priority on the roads during school opening and closing times.
Money is available from within the schools’ funding for traffic calming.
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