CAMPAIGNS who want roads closed near two schools have presented petitions to Brighton and Hove City Council.
Parents at St Luke’s Primary School, Brighton, and Brunswick Primary School, Hove, want the bollards back on closed roads in September 2020 as part of the council’s school street trials.
The council has temporarily closed the roads outside the two schools as part of a pilot project to encourage more children to walk and cycle to school.
The program also aimed to make it easier to maintain social distancing outside of schools during the coronavirus pandemic.
But not everyone supported the changes – and advisers overhauled the program last fall, with the bollards being removed in the new year.
The two petitions, in response to the removal of the terminals, were presented Thursday in plenary council.
Activists collected over 500 signatures calling on the council to put the bollards back near Brunswick Primary School – at the bottom of Somerhill Road where it meets Lansdowne Road.
When the board previously consulted the public on whether to make the temporary changes permanent, four people opposed and five supported the changes.
Opponents feared the changes would make access more difficult for ambulances and other emergency vehicles, that the road closure would displace traffic and that there would be a lack of consultation.
One of the petitions – relating to Somerhill Road – is to be presented by mother Emilie Bruley. He said: ‘We believe the closure has very positively transformed Somerhill Road into a much quieter, safer and cleaner street.
“The closure has slowed vehicles and reduced uncontrolled traffic of people using the street to avoid traffic lights on Holland Road.
“In particular, the improvement in crossing safety at the Lansdowne Road Junction (previously difficult with low visibility) has been massive.
“This closure benefits not only the residents and primary community of Brunswick, but also the many people on foot, bike, mobility aids and vehicles who use it.”
Queen’s Park Rise Bollards
The other petition – about Queen’s Park Rise – criticized the focus on objections when the results of a public consultation were given to the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee last September.
A total of 45 people opposed while 35 people backed the St Luke’s School plan – and 22 opponents said they were ‘inconvenienced’ by the Queen’s Park Rise road closure.
The petition, presented by Kathryn Tomlinson, has 237 signatures.
He said: ‘We are convinced that the voice of local residents who support the project have not been heard or given proper consideration in the council’s decision.
“We would like to take this opportunity to give our reasons why we believe closing the street is a good plan for the community. We believe that (it) should stay.
At last September’s meeting where councilors voted to remove the bollards, Labor councilor Gary Wilkinson also criticized the lack of consultation.
Cars, vans and other motor vehicles are still prohibited on the roads from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
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Source: www.theargus.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-04-08 14:54:00
