Ilkley Civic Society raises traffic management concerns over IGS rebuild

Artist’s impression of the proposed new buildings and layout (ilkleygrammarplans.co.uk)

Ilkley Civic Society has written an open letter to Bradford Council Planning Department with concerns surrounding the Ilkley Grammar School rebuild and in particular traffic management.

The society say the proposals are insufficient to manage both increased parking requirements and considerable construction traffic in the town and around the school .

Planning App 24/04213/MAF Ilkley Grammar School rebuilding

Ilkley Civic Society whilst being supportive of the principles of rebuilding the dated and energy inefficient mid-20^th century school buildings at Ilkley Grammar School has had some concerns over a number of issues. In particular traffic management around the school when the works take place over the next four years because the current school car parks will be used for other purposes and large numbers of contractors’ vehicles for operatives and material supplies will need both parking spaces and clear routes to the site.

Our suggestions where for temporary TRO’s (Traffic Regulation Orders) for traffic management, being applied as conditions to the grant of planning as follows-

‘-on Cowpasture Rd, including potentially removing the road humps to reduce vibration to premises from so many large construction vehicles.

- temporary TRO’s at the junction of Wheatley Rd / Bolling Rd and Springs Lane need careful consideration to manage site vehicle flow.

-a ban on all HGV’s using The Grove.

- additional temporary residents parking only on some local streets eg Springfield Av and Wharfedale Dr at the very least ‘

We also suggested an offsite holding area for HGV’s should be available to avoid queuing of contractors’ delivery vehicles near the site

The Bradford Council Highways officer recommended ‘Due to the likely displacement of parking onto the highway the suggested HGV route should have temporary TRO promoted to try and mitigate against the expected traffic issues during the construction of the school’. Not covering all the issues raised by ICS but nevertheless this would have improved what we believe will be a major construction project that will cause considerable inconvenience at the least, on roads around the site.

It was therefore disappointing to see the grant of planning not include any of these suggestions for ‘parking ‘or ‘construction vehicle access’.  The decision notice even suggested that should street parking not suffice, adequate capacity existed in Pay and Display car parks in the town! The council decision suggests a ‘small uplift in the number of vehicles parked on unrestricted roads surrounding the site’. We suggest that even with the relatively small scale works that are already progressing on site during the current school holidays car parking at the bottom end of Wheatley Rd has become common on both sides and somewhat congested.

There is still time to introduce measures that will assist all concerned, local residents, school traffic and the contractors as well as reducing the risk of damage to the environment due to congestion. We look forward to a response to the town of Ilkley from Bradford council.

Yours sincerely,

David Blackburn

Executive Committee member

Ilkley Civic Society