THE Environment Department has been accused of going against neighbour’s wishes by demanding that traffic lights be installed at the new Les Nicolles schools access road. The Education Department had previously suggested that a roundabout or filter could be used to control traffic flow into Les Effards.

But Environment has instructed it to install the lights.

‘I just wish that Environment would have listened to the residents first. I know that they have been concerned,’ said St Sampson’s deputy Dan Le Cheminant.

‘Education have said that they would have preferred to have gone along with the residents, but my understanding is that they were overruled by Environment.

‘The developers said that they would have been quite happy to have something other than traffic lights there but they had no option because Environment stated quite clearly that is what they are going to have, contrary to what the residents and Education were telling them.’

An Environment spokesman said it was not able to comment. Education has sent letters to people living near the schools, which are being built at the moment, informing them that it had tried to take into account their requirements in the design of the traffic light-controlled junction while aiming to ensure that pedestrians could cross safely using one of two push button crossings.

But Deputy Le Cheminant was unconvinced that the lights were the right choice.

‘I would have preferred them to have seen them try something else first, in line with what the residents were saying, rather than go to the extent of putting lights in immediately.’

Deputy Education minister Wendy Morgan said her department had worked very closely with Environment, Treasury and Resources, the douzaine and neighbours to make sure its plans suited all involved.

‘We’ve had every kind of suggestion that you can imagine for that area,’ said Deputy Morgan. ‘That is what Environment wants and that it what we are going to do.’

The plans have yet to be published but are also understood to show that the pedestrian path from Le Bordage has also been moved as close to the existing electricity substation as possible and the junction of the new road and Baubigny has not changed from previously approved proposals.

Pat Wisher, secretary of pedestrian safety group Steps, said it could not comment until it had seen the plans.

‘But in general, Steps is in favour of traffic lights because they incorporate pedestrian phases.’