Archived decisions

Contact: Mark Miller, ext 6921 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Parents have appealed, on road safety grounds, against the withdrawal of free school transport from Alderholt Road, Sandleheath to Burgate School, Fordingbridge.

2. Background

2.1 Alderholt Road, Sandleheath lies 2.9 miles west of Fordingbridge, where the designated secondary school, The Burgate School, is situated. The walking route is within the statutory three miles distance beyond which free transport is provided for children over eight attending their nearest or designated school.

2.2 Travel assistance for families living on Alderholt Road was originally agreed in December 1998 following parental concerns regarding the safety of the walking route to the bus stop on the B3078. A further independent assessment of the route has since been carried out by the County Council's Road Safety Team as a matter of review following recent new applications for transport in the area. As a result the original assessment has been revised and assistance has been withdrawn from the end of spring term 2009.

2.3 This appeal considers solely the availability of Alderholt Road to Sandleheath Crossroads itself, where a bus stop for services to Burgate School is situated, as the walking route from Sandleheath Crossroads to Burgate School has previously (18 July 2000) been deemed as available for an unaccompanied child aged 11 years or more.

3. The Appeal

3.1 The route has to be considered against the national Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association (LARSOA) criteria for the Assessment of Walked Routes to School (Appendix 1). Appendix 2 shows the route.

3.2 An on-site inspection was undertaken on 11 November 2008 by a representative from Hampshire County Council's Road Safety Team.

3.3 A 30 mph speed limit applies to Alderholt Road, between Alderholt Bridge and Sandleheath Crossroads.

3.4 Alderholt Road does not have a designated pavement, but the many entrances to private houses offer plenty of opportunities for pedestrians to step off the road.

4. Conclusion

4.1 Members will have had the opportunity to inspect the walking route. The County Council's position is that, under the criteria, the walking route is available.

4.2 It is for Members to consider, following the guidance of Appendix 1:

(i) whether the nature of the route, or an alternative route, means that it is available for children if unaccompanied; and

(ii) if the answer to (i) is no, whether the route is available if accompanied.

4.3 If the answer to (ii) is yes, separate consideration by the Children's Services Department would be given to any representations by parents or carers who are unable to accompany their children by virtue of individual circumstances.

2019/MM