East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) has confirmed today that the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) imposed on Church Street is not the result of complaint raised by any of the parents, staff or governors from St Mary’s Primary School itself, but is rather the result of regulations around school road markings being recently changed and enforced. It is understood that the recent evaluation of road markings in Church Street was part of an incentive driven by Hampshire County Council to help ease traffic issues with schools across the county.
EHDC has confirmed that the yellow zig-zag lines near the school will be repainted and will continue around the corner from Church Close to the school’s entrance. This is intended to help with the speed of traffic on the corner for the safety of children in the road due to there being no footpath present. A TRO notice will be issued as it is required by law which will then allow a traffic enforcement officer to attend the school to ensure that no cars are parking on these lines. No single yellow lines will be painted in Church Street.
This of course will be reviewed in accordance with parish councillors and public comments at the next meeting on 1st June (agenda to be published soon).
Toby Hayes - 12th May 2021 at 5:33 pm
Thank you for the clarification, that’s reassuring. Given that the new zig-zag is outside my driveway, I have observed that the only vehicles that stop on that spot are the school’s refuse collection, supplies delivery and catering delivery. I have never once observed parking there involving residents or parents. I would be grateful if the Parish Council could ask the Traffic Officer what measures will be taken to enforce parking rules on the zig-zags, and whether this will mean that refuse bins and york trollies of supplies will have to be pushed through traffic across the road on a blind corner instead of loading directly outside the school gates?
Katy Davis - 13th May 2021 at 7:51 am
I live directly opposite the school and agree with Toby Hays’ comments. I would add that In 15 years we have never had our driveway blocked, and the only real change I have noted is that the school now has two mini buses. If this has impacted on parking then perhaps the school could consider not parking these larger vehicles in the school car park during drop off and pick up, given that they now take up several spaces previously available for cars? The proposal is for the zig zag lines to be extended round the corner to increase the safety of children in the road, however the school does not allow children to leave unaccompanied and anyone walking towards the village green can exit the school safely from the church side, thereby avoiding the need to walk around the corner in question completely. The proposed TRO will impact a number of local residents negatively however, preventing them from parking outside their own homes. The application notes that houses in the vicinity all have off street parking however this is not correct, as a number of the properties in the vicinity of the school either have no off street parking at all or have only limited off street spaces, so are likely to be materially impacted by these proposed restrictions. I am fortunate to have a driveway, but not everyone does and I do not see these proposals as providing sufficient benefit to offset the costs and potentially significant detriment to local residents, especially anyone with mobility issues, and I oppose the application.