How do parents of pupils at Boothferry Primary School feel about up to 30 articulated lorries and up to 40 stone delivery wagons trying to do a 90 degree turn from Marcus St to Newport St right outside the school gates? That’s if it is possible for an articulated lorry to turn that corner at all.
The exit route for works traffic on the Victoria Pleasure Grounds is along Marcus St and Newport St to Boothferry Rd. The entrance route is along Carter St. That’s according to the Construction Traffic Management Plan uploaded to the East Riding Council planning portal on 3 October. Scroll down this update for the relevant planning portal links.
The most glaring issue with the Construction Traffic Management Plan is the use of Marcus St and Newport Street involving the 90 degree blind corner right outside the school gates. Other issues though include using Carter Street which is single file traffic, and whether an articulated lorry, and other large vehicles, can turn left out of the VPG into Marcus St now a building is being erected on the former parking space opposite the entrance.
It’s surprising these plans were drawn up in the first place. It’s very surprising indeed that the plans have got through any serious risk assessment, and been seen by East Riding Council, Goole Town Deal Board and Goole Town Council without anyone thinking there are potential dangers to young children, and the wider public.
There are of course regulatory bodies. It’s not clear to the general public whether the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or the highway authority is responsible for overseeing the plans. If it’s the highway authority then it would be East Riding Council – which is in effect self-regulation.
This is what the HSE says about construction traffic:
“The law says that you must organise a construction site so that vehicles and pedestrians using site routes can move around safely.
“The routes need to be suitable for the persons or vehicles using them, in suitable positions and sufficient in number and size.
“The term 'vehicles' includes: cars, vans, lorries, low-loaders and mobile plant such as excavators, lift trucks and site dumpers etc.
“The key message is: construction site vehicle incidents can and should be prevented by the effective management of transport operations throughout the construction process.” See: https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/vehiclestrafficmanagement.htm
It’s very hard to see how the Construction Traffic Management Plan as published 3 October 2024 and accessed 3 November 2024 is compatible with what HSE states is the law.
To see the Construction Traffic Management Plan, follow the links below.
Go to the EYRC planning portal:
Then open the first document:
Then click on the link to the 35 Documents which can be found towards the bottom of the page (you should be able to access the document directly from this link, but the above two links are provided just in case):
From the list of documents, scroll down and select the document titled “Amended Construction Management Plan” which was uploaded on 3 October 2024. A PDF document appears. Go to Section 3 of the amended plan to review the Construction Traffic Management plan.
The photo for this update shows the 90 degree blind corner by the school entrance where vehicles leaving the construction site will pass. An image at school opening or closing times would have illustrated the potential problems, but it was photographed when pupils and parents were not present to protect their privacy and security.
Do East Riding Council, Goole Town Deal Board and Goole Town Council not care about the safety of the public, particularly young children? Will anyone with concerns be dismissed as “Moaners”, “Negative”, “Haters” and “Always running the Town down” as has happened when members of the public have raised concerns about the Town Deal and other council plans before?
Isn’t wanting children to be safe wanting the best for Goole?