'School Street' Hopes To Improve Road Safety

Monday, 20 March 2023 07:25

St Martin's School will trial a road restriction, limiting access to cyclists and pedestrians only.

It is hoped the 'School Street' initiative will improve increase safety in the area.

It has been developed in consultation with the school and the Traffic and Highway Services department.

Access to Route des Couture will be restricted to bicycles and pedestrians only during school start and end times.

Residents' access to premises will be maintained though.

Headteacher Clare Giles says she approached the Traffic and Highway Services to set this up after multiple near-misses involving her students.

"Our school has 550 children, which makes us the largest primary school in the island, with more pupils than two secondary schools also, which means we have approximately 1,000 people travelling to and from school every day at drop-off and pick-up.

That is a lot of people on the roads around school, with Route Des Coutures narrow and without many safe spaces for pedestrians.

We had an incident last term involving a cyclist and vehicle and pupils routinely report near misses. I am very proud of our young people for not only raising this issue with maturity and conviction, but also being heavily involved in the creation of what we hope will be a solution."

Restrictions will apply from 8:30 until 9am and again from 2:45 until 3:15pm.

The launch day is Wednesday 29 March with the scheme will be reviewed during the Easter Holidays.