Preston school 'shares concerns' over traffic problems expansion could cause

Lancashire County Council gave the go-ahead to the expansion of Goosnargh Oliverson’s Church of England Primary School earlier this month.

The move, approved by the authority’s cabinet, will see capacity of the Goosnargh Lane facility gradually rise from 210 pupils to 420 over the course of the next seven years.

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However, as the Lancashire Post revealed, the proposal sparked road safety fears amongst villagers. Eight-four percent of the responses to a public consultation into the proposal warned of the problems that could be caused by an increase in the number of vehicles in the vicinity of the school at drop-off and pick-up times.

A petition objecting to the expansion was also set up - and has now amassed more than 360 signatures. The preamble to it describes current traffic levels around the school during peak times as “staggering” - and claims they would reach "untenable levels” if pupil numbers were allowed to swell further.

It has now emerged that the school itself is also worried about the volume of traffic that would result from the influx of extra children.

In a statement to the Post, a spokesperson for the Blackburn Diocese, which oversees the voluntary aided school, said: “Goosnargh Oliverson’s CE Primary School and the Diocese of Blackburn were approached by the local authority to help provide additional places needed [in] the area for primary-aged pupils.

“Both the diocese and school are open to supporting the expansion, but share some of the concerns around traffic and hope that a suitable solution can be found.”

Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for education and skills Jayne Rear said during the meeting at which the change was agreed that “highways management” issues would be dealt with during “the formal planning process”.

Some respondents to the public consultation said pupil and pedestrian safety was already being put at risk by “inconsiderate parking and vehicles mounting the pavements to pass through the area”.

The phased expansion is due to begin next September, with an additional 30 reception children being admitted to the school.