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25/06/2009

Grove Academy Road Safety & Parking Issues - Disappointing Response from Councillor Guild

Ferry Councillor, Laurie BidweIl said:
"In statement published in the Courier on Monday 22 June 2009,
http://lauriebidwell.blogspot.com/2009/06/potential-road-safety-dangers-and.html
I called for reassurance by Mike Galloway, Director of Transport & Planning, that the traffic planning for the new Grove Academy and its recreational facilities for the wider public is not undertaken in isolation from the traffic and transport planning for the 300 plus Council staff being relocated to converted offices in the Old Grove six months later. I continue to think that the public want to know that the necessary road safety measures will be in place before the new school site becomes operational. It’s absolutely crucial that we don’t wait for a serious injury to one of our pupils at the school to trigger traffic management changes that can surely be anticipated.

Ken Guild's, response published in the Courier on Wednesday 24 June 2009 proposed two measures:
1. Extending the 20 mph zone for the school and
2. Individual travel plans for the 300 plus Social Work and Education staff being transferred to the offices in the Old Grove building.

This is deeply disappointing and ignores the essence of what I requested. In fact his response illustrates for me the limited and isolated road safety and traffic planning which is being conducted for these two side by side major developments and which he seems prepared to go along with. Why, for example, is the individual traffic planning for the 300 plus social work and education staff moving into the offices in the Old Grove not being extended to the all of the staff of Grove Academy? The latter details should be part of an elaborated Travel Plan for the new school. Furthermore, is extending the 20 mph zone for the school the only specific road safety measure he thinks is necessary? I was expecting a more considered road safety and traffic management optional appraisal to be undertaken covering both of these important developments on the Grove campus."

Traffic Restrictions Gray Street (between Beach Crescent and King Street) Wed 15 July 2009

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of pumping station maintenance works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Gray Street (between Beach Crescent and King Street), Broughty Ferry, Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Wednesday 15 July 2009 for one working day.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via Beach Crescent/St Vincent Street/King Street.

For further information contact (01382) 433168.

Mike P Galloway
Director of Planning and Transportation
Dundee City Council

Traffic Restrictions Claypotts Road Sat 27 & Sun 28 June 2009

THE ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SECTION 14(1)

THE DUNDEE CITY COUNCIL AS TRAFFIC AUTHORITY being satisfied that traffic on the road should be prohibited by reason of Scottish Water maintenance works being carried out HEREBY PROHIBIT the driving of any vehicle in Claypotts Road (between West Queen Street and Albert Road), Broughty Ferry, Dundee.

This notice comes into effect on Saturday 27 June 2009 for 2 days.

Pedestrian thoroughfare will be maintained.

Alternative routes for vehicles are available via West Queen Street/Victoria Road/Strathern Road.

For further information contact (01382) 433168.

Mike P Galloway
Director of Planning and Transportation
Dundee City Council

24/06/2009

Harris Academy Should be Number One School Building Priority in Dundee

On Wednesday 17 June, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Fiona Hyslop, announced a national school building programme supported by £800 million of Scottish Government funding to be shared by all 32 local authorities in Scotland .

Labour Education Spokesperson on the City Council, Laurie Bidwell said,

"The SNP promised a lion and have unveiled a mouse! In the SNP election manifesto in May 2007 they claimed they would 'match Labour's school building programme brick for brick'. This announcement will mean the SNP government will not commission and deliver one new school before the next Holyrood election in May 2011. In addition its scale will probably only help to deliver (by way of 75% national funding) one new secondary school in Dundee . In the Labour led programme in Dundee we delivered two new secondary schools (St Paul's and Grove Academies) and six new Primary Schools via a PPP project worth £90 million (£120 million at 2011 prices). In addition, our administration on the city council, commissioned five new primary schools Whitfield, West End (2) and Lochee-Charleston (2) and the replacement for Kingspark School using prudential borrowing. By any measure, the SNP offering falls very far short of matching our impressive school building programme.

Under my watch, as Education Convenor, a feasibility study was undertaken to rebuild or refurbish Harris Academy . That was recently completed and shared with the Head Teacher and Parent Council. The various strategies have price tags starting at about £20 million. Will SNP Education Convener Liz Fordyce now confirm that Harris Academy will be her number one priority on the Council's shopping list?"

Councillor Richard McCready said,
"Harris Academy is crying out for investment. I urge the City Council to make the case for investment in the Harris to the Scottish Government. People in the West End know that Harris Academy is a good school they also realise that it needs to be modernised. Action is required now."

Potential Road Safety Dangers and Traffic Chaos When New Grove Academy and Council Offices Open

Saturday 20 June 2009

Claypotts Road could be grid locked and an accident black spot when the new Grove Academy is complete at the turn of the year and 300+ council staff move into converted offices in the old Grove buildings.

Ferry Councillor Laurie Bidwell warns,
“The new main entrance to Grove Academy, with access to the new school car park, will move into Claypotts Road adjacent to the junctions with Davidson Street and Ballinard Gardens. In addition to drop offs and teachers and visitors coming and going, these same parking spaces will be in demand by the public using the swimming pool and sports halls in the evenings and at weekends. With restricted sight lines because of the bend in Claypotts Road and fast flowing traffic, many manoeuvres in and out of the school car park, especially right turns, will be potentially hazardous.

The number of road traffic movements in the street will also be increased very significantly by the 300 plus City Council staff being moved into the converted offices in the Old Grove buildings. At peak times, especially at the beginning of the school and working day, there may be gridlock in Claypotts Road as school and council staff as well as pupils and their parents try to navigate the Claypotts Road bottle neck between Queen Street and Strathern Road.

Given the shortage of parking places in the Old Grove car park and only two thirds planned provision of car parking spaces for staff at the new Grove Academy, residents anticipating some relief when the building work finishes will doubtless find more parking connected with the school and the council offices spilling over into their surrounding streets. “

Councillor Laurie Bidwell said:
“Ferry residents need to be reassured by a statement from Mike Galloway, Director of Transport and Planning, that the traffic planning for the new school and its recreational facilities for the wider public is not undertaken in isolation from the traffic and transport planning for the 300 plus Council staff being relocated in the Old Grove six months later. Furthermore, I think the public want to know that the necessary road safety measures will be in place before the new school site becomes operational. It’s absolutely crucial that we don’t wait for a serious injury to one of our pupils at the school to trigger traffic management changes that can surely be anticipated.”