No parking for sixth formers

Tuesday 14 January 2020

A "moderate" decrease in staff parking and no car spaces for sixth formers are among the proposals suggested by Education to ease traffic concerns around the two larger 11-18 colleges.

Senior figures in Education, Sport & Culture have been speaking to douzaine representatives in recent days and weeks and have a planned public presentation this Wednesday.

During a meeting with douzeniers at Les Beaucamps High School, ESC President Matt Fallaize responded to questions around their travel plans.

Staff parking at the two 11-18 colleges has been in the spotlight in recent weeks, as an open planning application has revealed more details about the logistics of the one-school education model.

Deputy Fallaize said the 75% limit on the number of staff able to park on site is a minor reduction of current parking levels.

It is also the maximum parking provision that can be applied under current planning regulations.

"There is a perception that no staff are going to have parking, but we are going to provide parking for 75% of staff," he said.

"The States planning conditions can only provide for up to 75% for new developments - that is the policy whether you are public or private sector."

He also appeared to shut down the possibility of accommodating sixth formers with cars: "There is no provision for sixth form parking [in our proposals] and I don't think we should have to build that in."

Pictured: At present, Guernsey Grammar School Sixth Formers park at a site close to the school, however there is no formal on-site parking.

There are no public car parks in the immediate vicinity of Les Beaucamps or St Sampson's High, which are the two sites being used under Education's plans. 

Some douzaine reps were concerned about this, saying it would take away young adults' independence and further increase reliance on the taxi of mum and dad. 

Others were unconvinced by Education's claims that the additional demands on the road network of two larger colleges "is not as great as you would imagine it to be".

"I don't see how you can say there is going to be no impact when you are doubling the number of children," said one douzenier. 

"You are absolutely out of line here because you are going to congest all these roads. There is going to be gridlock with buses and cars everywhere. There will be a problem in the whole area and I think you are being totally unrealistic."

Steve Foote, Programme Director for Transforming Education, pointed out that a recent survey of school pupils' views showed that while only around 15% cycle to school at the moment, around 50% said they would be interested in doing so. 

One of the barriers to doing so is children not living close enough to the school they attend. However, Mr Foote said the end of the Grammar School - the only public sector, mainstream secondary school with an island-wide catchment - would enable more to do so.

"We are talking about a huge proportion of students living nearer to their school than they do currently. We want to create an environment where they are able to do that [cycle to school] if they want to."

 Pictured: Douzeniers at a recent meeting, inset, Deputy Matt Fallaize.