Agenda item

Application of rules and guidance in the determination of the safety of school routes as they apply in the context of the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008

The Traffic, Parking and Road Safety Manager and the Road Safety Engineer introduced the report and appendices (previously circulated) explaining the legislative framework that governed the hazardous routes to school.  They also outlined the assessment process followed, in line with statutory guidance, when assessing the safety of a walking route to school.  Any changes in traffic flow or volumes would automatically instigate a review.  This had happened in Rhuddlan recently which had consequently resulted in the installation of a traffic island to aid safe crossing of the highway for pupils walking to school. 

Whilst the introduction of traffic calming measures would assist to slow down traffic it would never eliminate accidents from happening, as the majority of accidents were down to human error on the part of one party.  Responding to members’ questions officers advised that:

·         the cost of any modifications to the highway to ensure the safety of pupils would be the subject of budgetary discussions between the relevant services e.g. education and highways.  Monies could be vired from the school transport budget to the highways budget towards the cost of modifications etc. if required;

·         whilst it was acknowledged that some roads, particularly in rural areas, were deemed hazardous for children to walk to school, where it was safe for them to walk the school route there were added benefits as it contributed towards the pupil’s health and well-being as physical exercise was recognised as a way of reducing obesity;  

·         if traffic volumes or flows altered on any school routes, once notified of the changes or a request for school transport was received stating that the route had become hazardous, a hazardous route assessment would be undertaken.  Councillors were encouraged to inform officers if any such traffic flow or volume changes occurred in their wards;

·         if members so wished officers could inform Member Area Groups (MAGs) on an annual basis of routes due to be reviewed within their areas, and include councillors in the consultation process.  Members concurred with this suggestion and officers agreed to adopt this approach from now on;

·         with respect to routes subject to the bio-diversity grass cutting regime, officers did act with caution when assessing routes and gave human life priority over wildlife.  However, they did acknowledge that the assessment could only be based on the visual evidence available at the time it was undertaken.  If verge growths were proving a hazard the Streetscene Team would deal with them as a matter of urgency and if landowners were responsible for hedges etc. they would request that they cut them on safety grounds.  If the landowner/responsible person did not respond to the request the Streetscene Team for safety reasons would cut back the growth and recover the costs later from the responsible person.

Members referred to a number of examples across the county where officers’ help in reducing traffic speed or introducing traffic calming measures, particularly in and around schools, had been invaluable.  Work was continuing in those areas with a view to getting enforcement officers to enforce the measures where some road users seemed to be flouting the restrictions.

Prior to the conclusion of the discussion the Committee requested the Road Safety officers to e-mail all county councillors who have non-hazardous routes within their wards seeking them to inform officers immediately they become aware that a route may no longer be a safe walking route to school to enable officers to assess it as soon as possible.   Councillors should also be asked to inform Highways and Environmental Services officers immediately they become aware that vegetation impair the visibility of road signs in their area.

The Committee:

Resolved: subject to the above observations –

(i)            to endorse the contents of the report and the method by which Denbighshire County Council applies the Welsh Government’s operational guidelines with respect of risk assessing walked routes to schools;

(ii)          to recommend that school routes that lie within areas subject to bio-diversity grass cutting schedules, and which have not been assessed within the last 12 months, be assess at the earliest possible opportunity;

(iii)         that all Member Area Groups (MAGs) be informed and consulted on an annual basis on the routes due for review in their area; and

(iv)         to support the proposal to carry out periodic reviews of home to school walking routes every five years, unless significant changes to traffic volumes or flows are reported, or requests are received for a review to be undertaken.