School Lane scheme in limbo during spending reviews
Wednesday, 22nd September 2010.
Town councillors have decided to hang fire on contributing towards two schemes aimed at improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists around School Lane.
Suffolk County Council had written to Haverhill Town Council to ask it to contribute towards a walkway along Burton End between Chivers Road and School Lane, and also to some traffic engineering to stop people parking in School Lane itself where there is a history of congestion problems.
The walkway has been estimated to cost £80,000 and the town council was asked for £10,000 towards it. Contribution towards the work in School Lane was not specified.
But members felt they would have to wait to see the effect of the Government spending review in October on its settlements from St Edmundsbury Borough and Suffolk County Councils before they could justify committing large sums to the schemes.
While Cllr Margaret Marks urged they should pay the £10,000 contribution because the path was much-needed, Cllr Maureen Byrne, leader of the Labour group, said she and her colleagues took an opposite view.
"We think the county council should pay for this," she said. "There is already a walkway started which goes to nothing. They should invest and build that up."
But Cllr Marks said if they didn't contribute the county would not pay anything and the opportunity to get the walkway would be lost altogether.
"It simply won't happen, and it is necessary for the safety of children going to school."
Cllr Byrne said she fully supported the proposed walkway, but to contribute £10,000 out of the budget was 'unacceptable in the climate of drastic cuts everywhere'.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett said the county council was carrying out a review of all cycle ways in Haverhill, many of which petered out, with a view to 'joining the dots'.
Cllr Paul McManus said: "To ride a bicycle in our town today is to take your life in your hands." But he called for more explanation of the county's review before contributing any money.
Members decided to defer the issue to their next meeting in November, when they would know more about the financial position.
They decided the same about the idea of building out parts of the kerb in School Lane to prevent parking by people delivering or colecting children from the schools.
But several councillors were unconvinced this would have the right effect anyway.
Cllr Clive Turner said the parking turned the road effectively into a one-way system, with traffic backing up out into Burton End and across the pedestrian crossing, and the build-outs would have the same effect.
Cllr Pat Hanlon agreed and described the idea as 'a waste of money'.
Members decided to defer this issue until after Castle Hill Middle School closes next July to see if that has a beneficial effect on congestion first.
Suffolk County Council had written to Haverhill Town Council to ask it to contribute towards a walkway along Burton End between Chivers Road and School Lane, and also to some traffic engineering to stop people parking in School Lane itself where there is a history of congestion problems.
The walkway has been estimated to cost £80,000 and the town council was asked for £10,000 towards it. Contribution towards the work in School Lane was not specified.
But members felt they would have to wait to see the effect of the Government spending review in October on its settlements from St Edmundsbury Borough and Suffolk County Councils before they could justify committing large sums to the schemes.
While Cllr Margaret Marks urged they should pay the £10,000 contribution because the path was much-needed, Cllr Maureen Byrne, leader of the Labour group, said she and her colleagues took an opposite view.
"We think the county council should pay for this," she said. "There is already a walkway started which goes to nothing. They should invest and build that up."
But Cllr Marks said if they didn't contribute the county would not pay anything and the opportunity to get the walkway would be lost altogether.
"It simply won't happen, and it is necessary for the safety of children going to school."
Cllr Byrne said she fully supported the proposed walkway, but to contribute £10,000 out of the budget was 'unacceptable in the climate of drastic cuts everywhere'.
Town clerk Gordon Mussett said the county council was carrying out a review of all cycle ways in Haverhill, many of which petered out, with a view to 'joining the dots'.
Cllr Paul McManus said: "To ride a bicycle in our town today is to take your life in your hands." But he called for more explanation of the county's review before contributing any money.
Members decided to defer the issue to their next meeting in November, when they would know more about the financial position.
They decided the same about the idea of building out parts of the kerb in School Lane to prevent parking by people delivering or colecting children from the schools.
But several councillors were unconvinced this would have the right effect anyway.
Cllr Clive Turner said the parking turned the road effectively into a one-way system, with traffic backing up out into Burton End and across the pedestrian crossing, and the build-outs would have the same effect.
Cllr Pat Hanlon agreed and described the idea as 'a waste of money'.
Members decided to defer this issue until after Castle Hill Middle School closes next July to see if that has a beneficial effect on congestion first.
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