Group to examine traffic problems at village primary school

Traffic problems around Upper Beeding Primary School have prompted the formation of a new council scrutiny group.
DM16133658a.jpg Upper Beeding Primary School. Photo by Derek Martin. SUS-160808-170651008DM16133658a.jpg Upper Beeding Primary School. Photo by Derek Martin. SUS-160808-170651008
DM16133658a.jpg Upper Beeding Primary School. Photo by Derek Martin. SUS-160808-170651008

David Coldwell (Con, Bramber, Upper Beeding and Woodmancote) explained that a meeting to discuss the issues had taken place recently between Upper Beeding Parish Council, the chair of governors, and the headteacher.

He explained that the school, which was ‘tucked away in a residential road’, was facing a problem ‘found around pretty much all schools’.

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He said: “The fact is people take their children to school rather than walking to school even if they live within walking distance.

“This leads to various issues with parking, anti-social parking, and indeed anti-social behaviour.”

At a HDC Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting last Monday (April 3), he proposed they set up a task and finish group to look at the specific case of Upper Beeding, and if solutions could be found they could be rolled out to other schools in the area.

Mr Coldwell added: “I hope if we can come up with a solution that it could be applied to all schools with the same problem.”

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Michael Willett (Con, Steyning) said: “I’m supportive of this, but I wish to say it’s a national problem.

“I was a governor of this school once and it’s been a problem here and I think every school that I know of, and I’ve been a governor of about 20 schools.

“They always have this problem and I would suggest that the task and finish group looks at how it’s been addressed nationally.”

Leonard Crosbie (LDem, Trafalgar), chairman of the committee, referenced a West Sussex County Council initiative where school crossing patrol staff are being given body-worn cameras to combat abusive behaviour and anti-social driving outside the school gates.

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