Benner Lane School Safety Scheme Consultation

Overview

Thank you for your interest in this consultation about the proposed introduction of a school safety scheme in Benner Lane (West End) near the Holy Trinity Primary School.

Introduction/Background

Concerns have been raised by the school, residents and parents about vehicle speeds, difficulties crossing the road and about road safety in Benner Lane near the school.

Proposals

In response to the concerns that have been raised, a school safety scheme consisting of the following measures has been proposed.

• Traffic calming measures (speed cushions) between Jenner Drive and Streets Heath.

• Zebra crossing on a raised road table outside the school

• Introduction of a 20mph speed limit in Benner Lane between Jenner Drive and Streets Heath (and in some adjacent side roads)

The plan attached below shows the proposed measures in more detail.  Please note that the location of the traffic calming measures is provisional at this stage and may be subject to change.

PLAN

The proposed measures will help make it safer and easier for parents and children to walk, cycle and scoot to school.  Encouraging and supporting an increase in these sustainable modes of transport will contribute towards a reduction in car journeys and congestion.

To further promote sustainable transport modes, we are also considering whether the 2 existing lay-by areas outside the school (which encourage school journeys to be made by car) should be removed.  We are therefore seeking views on this issue.  If the lay-bys were removed this would provide an opportunity to install environmental enhancement measures to help create an improved street scene outside the school.  The bottom panel of the attached plan shows alternative layouts for the proposed Zebra crossing, one with the parking lay-bys removed (right) and one with them retained (left).  It should be noted that the lay-bys will need to be reduced in length slightly even if they are retained to accommodate the introduction of the Zebra crossing.  

Why is the 20mph speed limit being proposed over the area shown

One of the key priorities of the scheme is to reduce vehicle speeds and improve road safety in the area immediately around the school.  This is why the traffic calming measures and 20mph speed limit have been proposed in Benner Lane between Jenner Drive and Streets Heath.

However, the results of speed surveys indicate that vehicle speeds are sufficiently low to allow a 20mph speed limit to be introduced in some of the other surrounding roads in the area without the need for traffic calming measures to be introduced.  The proposed 20mph speed limit has therefore been expanded to include these roads to create a wider 20mph zone.

Fellow Green and the northern section of Benner Lane (between Streets Heath and the A319 Bagshot Road) have not been included with the 20mph zone.  This is because the vehicle speeds within these sections of road are above the threshold in our 20mph speed limit policy for the introduction of a 20mph speed limit using only signs.  As such, a 20mph speed limit could only be introduced over these lengths of road if supporting traffic calming measures were also installed.  This would not be possible with the available budget.

Why your views matter

We want to know what you think about the proposed measures and about whether the lay-bys should be retained or removed.  The views that you express will influence what happens next.  It is therefore very important that you complete the online survey, which is available via the link at the bottom of this page.

Please complete the survey by Wednesday 31 January 2024 to ensure your views are considered. 

What happens next?

The views provided during the consultation will be carefully considered together with comments received from other key stakeholders (such the school and the emergency services) before deciding how to proceed.

Updates on the results of the consultation and the decision on how to proceed will be posted on this consultation webpage.

Thank you very much for taking the time to read the above information.  We hope you have found it helpful, and we look forward to receiving your views.