Education's travel plans "not final"

Friday 03 January 2020

Education's assessment of how traffic could be managed around the two new larger school sites is "just a starting point" for discussion, the committee has said.

A Traffic Impact Assessment was published in December providing more details about how Education could look to mitigate the increase in traffic that will come from doubling the number of people using the Les Beaucamps and St Sampson's sites.

One of the ideas was to restrict the number of staff who could park on-site to 75%, however senior figures have now stressed that these are not final proposals. 

Committee President Matt Fallaize said there was still much work to do, including with people who live near the sites, before making any final decisions. 

“The Traffic Impact Assessment seeks to inform the planning application process and provide guidance to the committee as we consider how best to ensure that suitable traffic management systems are in place when the new colleges are fully operational," he said.

Pictured: Deputy Fallaize said the aim for a "modest increase" in staff using modes of transport other than a car was in line the States’ integrated transport strategy.

"Since the Traffic Impact Assessment was published there have been many claims based on a misunderstanding that it amounts to the Committee’s final proposals on transport around the new 11-18 colleges. It does not. There is much work to be done and we are committed to listening to concerns raised, particularly by residents living near the sites, and acting on them wherever we can. 

“Far from expecting all staff and students to get to-and-from school by means other than car, what we are looking for is a combination of modest increase in use of other modes of transport – in line with key aims within the States’ integrated transport strategy - and making infrastructure improvements.

"We remain confident that any concerns around traffic can be resolved, but they also have to be balanced with educational benefits and the educational case for these reforms remains very strong because of the breadth of choice, equality of opportunity and the high quality facilities that will be offered to all students rather than only to some students which is the case at present.”

Pictured: Some Deputies have been critical of Education's traffic plans and other parts of the wider reforms. 

Steve Foote, Programme Director for the Education reforms, said the TIA provided detailed analysis that will play an important role in shaping work officers within the Education Office are carrying out to develop suitable traffic management systems for Victor Hugo College (currently the St Sampson’s site) and de Saumarez College (currently Les Beaucamps site). 

Part of that work will include the creation of traffic focus groups comprised of residents living near the sites and working closely with the Health Improvement Commission’s Active Travel Officer. 

"Getting the traffic management right for both sites is a clear priority area for the programme and this work will be led and developed by an experienced officer who I expect to have in post imminently," said Mr Foote. 'The Traffic Impact Assessment is the starting point for that work, not the end, as we seek to ensure a system is developed that allows traffic to flow around both sites with as little disruption as possible."