Landowners threaten legal move to block schools route
Wednesday 21st April 2010, 2:29PM BST.
Dave Wilson, left, and Brian Harley own land that borders the track Living Streets wants to use as part of the walking route to the Baubigny Schools. They fear improvements will tempt motorists to use the lane. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 0955775)
NEIGHBOURING landowners will consider legal action if Living Streets continues with its plans for a walking route to Baubigny Schools.
The pedestrian safety group wants a route so pupils who live in St Peter Port can walk safely from Pitronnerie Road Industrial Estate to St Sampson’s High and Le Murier.
But part of the route is along a track which leads from The Guernsey Bowl past David Wilson and Brian Harley’s land.
‘We don’t want this route because of the disruption it will cause,’ said Mr Wilson.
The pair are concerned that if the track is improved for pedestrians, more motorists will be encouraged to use it.
- Read the full story in the Guernsey Press. See below for subscription details.
- To read Guernsey Press stories in full click here for subscription details. Individual editions are now available online.
Island Life
All about Guernsey
Ambassador of the Year 2011
History & Heritage
Visitor Information
Guernsey's government
Campaigns
Voice For Victims
Voice for Victims is a campaign aimed at promoting the rights of those affected by child sexual abuse.
This is Guernsey
Guernsey Press
Useful Links
one word selfish
Report abuse
Don’t blame them, doesn’t it pass the prison too?
Report abuse
I refer you to the comments i posted on yesterday’s article and whole heartedly support these gentlemen!
Report abuse
GG – the whole school is next door to the prison! As is many properties probably with young children. What’s your point exactly? You think they let inmates roam the land trying to corrupt young minds? Or perhaps you’re getting mixed up with that episode of the Simpsons where they combine the prison and the school…
It’s a pedestrian walk way, I’m sure measures can be put in place to ensure vehicles don’t use it.
Report abuse
Put bollards either end so that vehicles cannot get access
Report abuse
Control barriers may work with keys for people
with access rights.
Plus school must take responsibility for litter
patrol to keep it tidy : one look at anywhere school kids go and it strewn with rubbish.
Report abuse
Bollards won’t stop motorcycles! Which is what these youngsters use, isn’t it!
Report abuse
i occasionally walk my dog down here, and twice in the last month some cretin on a scrambler has come bombing round the corner and nearly taken me, my child and the dog out.
otherwise its a lovely secluded and tidy lane. We always are coming across interesting flowers, insects and birds. There are also ponies and chickens down there- would their peace and quiet to graze & scratch be compromised by the (small minority, i’m sure but) troublesome element?
If it DID get opened up i whole heartedly agree with ANDY’s post above about the litter problem. Perhaps there’d need to be some sort of formal undertaking from Living Streets about maintaining it, or the school.
Report abuse
I am astonished that this project has got off the ground. How anyone can think that this is providing our children with a safer route to school is beyond me. It is not overlooked and there is no CCTV. This will make it the perfect place to encourage unsavory behaviour such as bullying and the selling of drugs. I honestly feel any child would be safer using the public highway to get to school and the objection at a recent meeting that objectors would rather see a child killed is absolutely ludicrous.
Report abuse
Should this not have been considered before we built the school?
Report abuse
Whilst St. Sampson’s High are on school holidays there is very little litter if any on the area surrounding the school grounds, but as soon as the school is open there is litter everywhere. There are litter bins clearly visible in the playground but the amount of crisp packets etc caught in the fence surrounding the back of the school makes me wonder if the use of them has been explained to the children. The fencing only contains the litter for so long and it soon spreads to the surrounding land, including the drainage douit.
This is all in close proximity and clear view of the school. How much will be dropped along a route that no one but those using it will see?
The children at this school are all at least 11 years of age so should be capable of walking along the side of a road, riding a bicycle or catching the school bus without the need for a muddy, dark isolated track
Report abuse
One word that Gwen uses concerns me, secluded, and it is not conducive with children.
I grew up around that area in the 60′s it was a marshy area usually overgrown and used as a dumping ground, I hope it has improved but I doubt very much. We were also told not to go around there alone. It is quite a large area.
Report abuse
They should be UK MPs with that attitude.
Report abuse
Do we really want to encourance school children to be walking down an unlit and unmonitiored back alley ?
There is a perfectly good pavement all along the sea front and all the way to the school via the half-way.
Report abuse
I don’t think children should have a walking route to school.
Everyone should be made to go in a car for safety. After all, there isn’t nearly enough traffic, and physical activity is bad for children. What next – letting them ride on bicycles?
And there should be CCTV on every street corner, since our island is so infested with drug peddling and muggers everywhere.
Report abuse
No way will there be a walk. this land is privately owned land. not liveing streets to do as they like. good on them. stand up for the guernsey man.
Report abuse
@ James
Gotta agree with you James, well said. As for them all going in cars to school i suggest that these should be at least of land cruiser size. There must be a few young mothers left out there without an enormous 4 x 4 off road vehicle. Everyone knows children might be killed in an accident if the vehicle is not classed as a ‘tank’. In all honesty, these huge vehicles are a real nuisance. I am fed up of having to reverse back miles to let one past in a narrow lane because they are either incapable of don’t know how to reverse a yard backwards. When they just expect you to do it cause they appear helpless i love it when their husbands or partners are sat next them, the lookk on their apologetic faces says it all !!!
Report abuse
Couldn’t agree with you more damo.
Those vehicles should banned in urban areas. What use are they exactly??? They cause far more damage if someone is hit by them so get rid I say.
Even better when they have one kid rattling around in the back. Such a joke.
Report abuse
@Lynnie
I drive a large 4WD car and I am a woman. I know how to reverse and do so regularly when meeting a sweet old lady/ gent in a tiny car in a lane as they just stop and look helpless. I use mine to tow my horse in his trailer to attend competitions.Lots of people use them for towing horses and boats so they do have a use.
Why can’t a bus service be provided if the children are unable to walk?
Report abuse
Has anyone thought of lighting for this walkway, for when the nights draw in, in the winter?
Is there going to be teacher patrols to keep an eye on the children`s behaviour? How long will it be before the greenhouses are sprayed with graffiti? It`s already been mentioned about motorcyclists using it as a short cut, will gates be erected at each end?
If I owned land bordering this walkway then I too would be doing my best to make sure my property was safe and keeping the peacefulness it enjoys at the moment.
If it has to be then it must be safe and unspoilt as it is now. Can the people organising this guarantee this safety and peace?
Report abuse
Landowner. Ah yes. Of course! Pony shows! That’s perfect justification for having a huge great gas guzzling monster taking up the road.
And how often are these shows? Daily? No, not exactly, I think, more like once every month or so.
Funny, I come from a horse owning family, who for more years than I can count quite happily and safely towed the box behind a normal sized car.
Report abuse
Scarlett.
The law states that the towing vehicle has got to be a minimal of a 1/3 heavier then what it’s towing to be safe..
If you are tow a two horse trailer (2000kg’s).. the towing vehicle must 3000kg’s..
If you’re towing with avange family car.. you’re putting life’s as RISK. You need a good size 4&4 to be safe on the roads.
Report abuse
Very well said Melc! I for one would not dream of putting my Horse’s life at risk by towing with my small family car. Which I use everyday instead of my 4×4 I must add. Also Scarlett if you are from a horse owning family you must remember the about of boot space bales of shavings & sacks of feed take up. Id rather use my 4×4 & only have 1 trip than 4 trips with my smaller car.
Report abuse
Melc, that’s some serious weight you are talking about there!
I hope you have the right driving licence to be legally allowed to steam around the island with all that metal……………………………
Report abuse
Melc. You are working on the assumption it was a two horse box. It wasn’t. Not everyone can afford two horses. Not in my world, anyway.
GsyGal, I didn’t say ‘small’ family car, I said ‘normal’, and as for the tired ol ‘it’s safer’ argument…but for horses….you couldn’t make it up.
I hardly ever hear of a horse being fatally injured whilst travelling in a box, but 1000′s get killed on the roads each year. Perhaps we should start insisting they wear crash helmets when you ride out, or install brakes so they don’t bolt and run headfirst into the oncoming traffic….
and talking of ‘safety’, let’s not even get into the polution debate, and the subject of all the toxic fumes you’re pumping into the atmosphere.
We used a car. Every Saturday. For 20 years. We didn’t ‘need’ a 4 x 4 to keep up with the Jones, and no one, human or equine, died. Fact.
Report abuse
@No0B
If you hold a BE licence you can drive a car or van with a GVW of 3500kg’s and tow a trailer on over run brakes GVW 2300kg’s give you a legal gross train weight of 5800 kg’s..
But the rule of thumb is to be SAFE and legal on the road is the towing car (van, 4×4 or lorry) must be 1/3 heavier then what you’re towing..
Unless you have impendent braking system like articulated lorries.. then you can tow far greater weights
Report abuse
Oh yes horses safety first. Let’s forget about the small child who would have been injured if hit by a “normal” size car going at the same speed but is killed by 4×4 due to that weight needed to cart the horses around.
On another note the majority of the 4×4′s I see on the road are not towing anything. I find it hard to beleive they’re all just returning home after dropping off their load. Just need to pop by Acorn House at around 2.45pm to see what the majority of them are used for…
Report abuse
@lynnie.
Oh sounds like a good argument.. Let all drive light weight vehicles and OVER load them.. HHHmmm bet the police will be so happy with that idea.
As to the getting run over bit… to be honest weather you get run over by a bus, 20 ton truck or landrover.. it’s still going to hurt.
Report abuse
This argument has gone a bit off topic.
There was another letter in the press today sympathetic to the concerns and dangers to the children using the route, and Pat Wisher’s response shows that Living Streets are totally out of touch. To state that children will be only using the track in groups is short sighted. Are Living Streets prepared to police the track to ensure that our children are safe?And how can we expect our children to grow up Road Safety aware if we insist on wrapping them in cotton wool. Instead of wasting money creating a danger to our children they should be using it to educate Road Safety.
Report abuse