St Sampson’s School neighbours want to see more of road plans
PEOPLE living near St Sampson’s School have asked for more information about new traffic plans which they fear could lead to mayhem on their local roads.
As part of the transition to the two-school secondary model, consultants for Education have recommended that ‘drop-and-stride zones’ are set up next to Oatlands and potentially by the Guernsey Football Club in Victoria Avenue.
It means that traffic congestion could be routed away from narrow lanes around the school and onto bigger routes such as Le Grand Fort road, Braye du Valle and La Route des Capelles.
But people living on Le Grand Fort road knew little of the transport plans, and the first some had heard of it was when a Guernsey Press reporter knocked on their door just before Christmas.
Cerys Williams was keen to hear more details.
‘I think it’s good that they are improving the school, but it’s already bad on this road and it backs up in the morning at the Oatlands traffic lights, with double the number of students it could mean gridlock.
‘It’s great that they want to encourage kids to walk to school, but I want more information so I can have confidence in it.’
Alongside the drop-and-stride zones the consultants have also recommended an expansion of the 20mph speed limits, significant improvements to the pedestrian and cycle lane infrastructure, an overhaul of the school bus service, smarter traffic lights, and making most of Les Gigands road one-way.
People living closer to the school, on Baubigny Road, were aware of what was planned but still had concerns.
For Craig Martel the priority was safety.
‘As a Baubigny resident my ongoing concern is traffic, and with the increase in student numbers and children walking there’s a safety issue there.
‘I feel it needs to be highlighted to car users that cyclists are meant to ride on the road northbound, the cyclepath is one-way southbound’.
On Les Gigands road, which is likely to become one-way, most residents were not relishing the idea.
Glen Le Tissier said it would mean longer journeys for them.
‘We bought this house specifically because the street is two-way, we were looking at the estate down the road, but that was one-way so we bought this.
‘It won’t affect me too much because I leave for work early before the school traffic, but I’d be interested to hear more about the drop-and-stride at Oatlands.’
A few doors up, Ryan Carter echoed those views.
‘It would be inconvenient and it would just move the traffic somewhere else.
‘To get to work I turn left out of here southwards to get to town. If this was one-way I’d have to go through the Oatlands junction, so it would just divert traffic to other areas, but I think the drop-and-stride could be a good idea.’
In their traffic impact assessment the consultants stress the importance of sustainable transport options as St Sampson’s School moves from 713 pupils now, to an estimated 1,500 in 2025.
It takes roughly eight minutes to walk from Oatlands to the main entrance of the school, and slightly longer from the Bowl at Victoria Avenue.
The report acknowledges that Guernsey has a high level of car ownership and that a ‘carrot and stick’ may be required to create a change of culture where children will walk, cycle or take the bus to school.
