Questions over plans for 'no entry' restrictions on road near two Biggleswade schools

A 5mph speed limit along a road leading to two schools in Biggleswade could prove more effective than banning traffic at drop-off and pick up times, a meeting heard.

A traffic order is being considered for Lawnside at its junction with Lawrence Road and Auckland Road by Central Bedfordshire Council.

There would be ‘no entry’ Monday to Friday between 7.30am and 8.30am and from 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

Deputy mayor Mark Knight told a town council meeting: “I appreciate the importance of keeping parents and children safe, and there are real challenges with the location.

“My worry is how do residents get access to their properties within those times, and how deliveries are made to them and any businesses,” he said.

“We’ve no evidence of consultation. I wonder whether a 5mph speed limit would be more appropriate.

“The strategic answer would be to compulsory purchase the four properties to the west of the road and widen it.”

Town councillor Duncan Strachan agreed, saying: “Not only is it residents, but emergency vehicles and teachers possibly getting to school.

“I imagine it’s partly because children are dropped off at school, which has created issues. That’s not going to end. Vehicles will park in Lawrence Road. There are greater implications than a time limit and closing it off.”

Town councillor Andrew Skilton explained: “It’s creating a school street, which happens in urban areas where you prevent vehicles accessing school for drop-off and pick up times.

“It probably needs to make larger sections of that area school street. You can make provision for deliveries and residents with a plate under the traffic order sign to say ‘except access’.

“You could have a list of registration numbers of people who have a need, such as blue badge holders or young people who have mobility issues and use taxis to get to school, depending on how CBC enforces this.”

Town councillor Jonathan Woodhead suggested there are “so many questions to be answered, which haven’t been adequately addressed”, adding: “It’s possibly the wrong solution for a known problem.

“Central Beds needs to get to grips with the amount of parents’ vehicles accessing the school. It may push the parking issue on to Lawrence Road and other streets.”

Town councillor Pierre Guilcher warned there are two schools, one of them for special needs where some pupils “probably would have mobility issues”.

He asked: “Has CBC done any surveys? Who’s travelling up there? More detail is needed. My child goes there and safety is paramount.”

Mayor Mark Foster suggested: “The timings don’t make any sense either. There’s no entrance from 7.30am to 8.30am. But if the school opens at 9am then you’ll ignore it. There are plenty of things wrong with this.”

Councillors backed the principle of the traffic scheme, with concerns around its practical considerations of access, timings and the knock-on effects for other roads.

The proposal will be considered at a CBC traffic management meeting in due course. Comments should be e-mailed by Friday (September 22) to [email protected]