Traffic chaos at incomplete junction as new school opens
DELAYS DUE TO LACK OF RIGHT-TURN LANE
FAILURE to create a right-turn lane at a busy Derby junction has led to traffic chaos as a new secondary school opened in the city.
Residents living near to Derby Cathedral School in Great Northern Road said there was an “hour of chaos” on the first day as students were being picked up in cars.
One resident, who did not wish to be named said: “Students are walking out in front of cars, cars were being sent up the access only road at Sudbury Street.
“The pavement at one place is only about 18 inches wide and we witnessed a lady with a pram waiting to move, as cars were parked on the pavement and couldn’t move either. There are no crossings or speed limits or cameras.”
But both residents and Derby Diocese, which runs the school, says that the situation has eased in the past few days after staff at the school took action, including marshalling students and guiding traffic.
The school, which has been in temporary accommodation at Midland
House in Nelson Street until recently, has been built on nine acres of the former Friar Gate goods yard site and opened last Tuesday with an initially reduced number of 400 students. Over time it will increase to 1,200 pupils.
There had been fears that the presence of a school in a relatively narrow road and close to the inner ring road could cause traffic problems and the additional road change had been part of the planning consent.
A Derby City Council spokesman said: “A condition of planning approval was the installation of a right-turn lane at the junction of Great Northern Road and Uttoxeter New Road.
“We understand that due to delays by the Department for Education (DfE) this was not completed ahead of the school opening in September.
“The condition remains, so we will be working closely with the contractor and DFE to ensure that this essential work is completed during the October half term.
“In the meantime, we have asked the contractors to identify ways to mitigate disruption to local residents, parents/carers and students.”
“We are monitoring the situation and collecting data on driver behaviour at this new site, including parking around arrival and departure times.
“Traffic is not being directed in any way to contravene any of the existing access restrictions on neighbouring streets.”
The school is Derby’s first-ever
Church of England secondary school and was built under a funding agreement between the Derby Diocesan Academy Trust and the Government.
A diocesan spokesman said: “We are aware of traffic issues on the very first day of the new site being open to students and we unreservedly apologise to our neighbours for any inconvenience this may have caused.
“Staff, students and parents are getting used to the new site including the procedures for safe arrival and departure, and we have noted significant improvements in recent days.
“School staff are present at pickup and drop-off times and are wearing high visibility vests so that they can be easily recognised and approached to provide any assistance if needed.
“The school continues to monitor the situation very closely and will continue to make improvements to processes to mitigate potential, further traffic issues.
“We are currently awaiting confirmation from Derby City Council on when the proposed works to the junction of Great Northern Road and Uttoxeter New Road will commence but have been informed that this will be very soon.”
Staff, students and parents are getting used to the new site... we have noted significant improvements.
Derby diocesan spokesman