You councillors are well aware of the huge strength of feeling surrounding the Council's decision to restrict access to the roads closest to Woodcote High and Woodcote Primary School: Dunsfold Rise, Meadow Rise and Fairfield Way. From residents on those roads being blocked in, to unclear signage catching out parents, to the displaced traffic on adjoining road - this scheme has been one of considerable disquiet in the community.
We have just been informed that there is an intended amendment to the timings of the scheme currently in operation. The full proposal is attached as a PDF below, but will be circulated to nearby properties and included in the local press. In summary it says:
'The Woodcote School Street is unique in having retained a 2.30pm afternoon starting time, when the 20 other active School Streets in the borough all start at 2.00pm. As the school intake has grown, so has the competition for car-borne pick-up space. Consequently, an increasing number of school parents now drive into and park-up in the School Street before 2.30pm, to wait for 45min until the school day ends. The Highway Code for the pedestrian zone (School Street) sign allows for the car to drive out of the road at any time. Secondly, there are also an increasing number of older students driving their own cars to school. When arriving just before the 8.00am morning start time, these cars can park-up in the residential road all day. The proposed 7.30am start time would deter some all-day parking and help prioritise pedestrian and distancing space in the road.'
Please do that the time to read it and to feed your views into the consultation. Hopefully if enough residents engage with the process, the more likely it is that our Labour Council will consider listening to our community. They have a poor track record when it comes to listening to local people, but we can but try.
The consultation deadline is 29th October 2020.
