A RAFT of new restrictions will be brought in on routes around a soon-to-open new school to allay local residents’ road safety concerns due to the anticipated rise in extra traffic.
Trinity Academy St Edward’s will move from its temporary home on Eastgate in the town centre - where it has been for three years - to Broadway, Kingstone.
It will open in September and have 90 staff, catering for 900 youngsters aged between 11 and 16.
The £25m school - which has faced considerable delays since the plan was revealed - consists of a main, rectangular, multi-storey teaching block with an adjacent square sports hall, and a 140-space car park.
Access will be from Keresforth Close, which has a junction with the A6133 Broadway via a signalled junction, despite local councillors raising concerns over the road’s ability to deal with more traffic.
The Chronicle can reveal that the council’s highways bosses have gained approval for a series of traffic regulation orders which include parking restrictions between 9am and 5pm.
A council report said: “A new school development was granted planning consent in December 2021 on land to the east of Keresforth Close.
“As part of this, conditions were imposed that new road safety measures would be required along Keresforth Close in order to ensure the safety of children and a free flow of traffic, particularly during school times.
“A comprehensive investigation of the area has been carried out and it has been determined that junction protection of an adjacent residential street, Keresforth Court, would also be required for the anticipated volume of traffic.
“It is proposed to introduce waiting restrictions along the full length of Keresforth Close, including both sides of its junction with Keresforth Court and an unnamed access road near the school gates.
“Loading and unloading restrictions will be in place, also on the full length of Keresforth Close, as will a ‘no stopping’ rule, Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm in the vicinity of the school’s access.
“These restrictions have been designed to counter and deter the anticipated inconsiderate, obstructive and illegal parking that is often observed in the vicinity of schools.
“This will maintain the free flow of traffic, maintain visibility and improve overall road safety for children, parents and residents.
“Alternative proposals - such as timed no waiting restrictions - were considered but would not provide protection at all times of the day.
“Physical engineering measures were also considered, such as bollards and railings, but these were deemed to be too intrusive on the carriageway and footway for other road users.
“Alternative proposals would also be cost prohibitive to the developer and require a future maintenance commitment by the authority.”
Broadway’s ability to cope with extra traffic has been raised as a concern by councillors given it is home to Barnsley’s main fire station, housing and is used to get to both the town centre and nearby Horizon Community College.
Coun Phil Lofts, who represents the Old Town ward, previously spoke out about TROs when the school was granted planning permission.
“I anticipate that Broadway will be gridlocked,” he added.
“I hear the calculations from highway, but I see the facts on the ground.
“The roads can’t take anymore and drivers will not take any notice of yellow lines and drop-off times.”
Principal Mark Allen said: “We want to work proactively with local residents and reassure them of the negligible impact drop-off and pick-ups will have on their properties.”
