School seeks safer road

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 9

School seeks safer road

Chester Street West may become a slow street to allow a safer path across it for pupils of the Cathedral Grammar School. The school has buildings on both sides of the street and the frequent crossing by its 210 pupils has prompted

the school’s board to call on the Christchurch City Council to slow traffic. The board, in 1983, asked for the street from Park Terrace past the school to be stopped and included in the school’s property. The proposal was publicly

notified in September, last year. Objections received were not considered by the council because the board withdrew its application for the street stopping. Neighbours had said they wanted access between Park Terrace and Cranmer Square. The slow-street proposal was put to the council’s works and traffic committee yesterday by the school headmaster, Mr R. B. Couper. The safety of pupils was of increasing concern to parents and staff, he said. A typical danger period was between 8.40 a.m. and 9 a.m. when boys were crossing to morning chapel, while parents of pre-school pupils were double or treble parking. Other street traffic added to the danger. Similar danger periods were at 2 p.m. when the pre-school finished and at 3.25 p.m. or 4 p.m. when the senior school ended. A slow street would help eliminate traffic dangers and the careful treatment of each end of the slow street would help solve the problems when children were being dropped off at school. Imaginative landscaping would enhance the area. The board would similarly landscape its property. Parking of a limited time would allow for parents and visitors, Mr Couper said. Cr Matthew Glubb said traffic was often travelling at speed when it swung from Park Terrace into Chester Street. The council’s traffic engineer, Mr Mike Gadd, said that through traffic levels on Chester Street were very low. The committee called for a traffic survey and report in consultation with the school’s neighbours. The report should be presented to the September meeting of the committee.