I’ve received a further response to concerns about routing VPG construction traffic down Marcus Street and Newport St, involving the negotiation of the blind, narrow 90 degree corner at the entrance to Boothferry Primary School. Again the concerns have been ignored.
Given the length of the project, I may well not be here by the time work gets underway in earnest, let alone the end of it. I thought it best to put the message from East Riding Council and my reply in the public domain, in case there is an accident. I fervently hope there will not be an accident, but I know I’m far from the only person who feels the chosen route is too risky.
I had previously contacted HSE. While acknowledging that they are responsible for the Victoria Pleasure Grounds project health and safety, they said construction traffic was not their responsibility. The message from HSE was from a ‘Do Not Reply’ email address, and the only digital way of getting in touch with them had been an online form.
I had forwarded the correspondence with HSE to the general East Riding email address asking them to forward it to the department dealing with road safety (otherwise the only contact options are online forms.
The reply is from the planning department… So basically ERYC’s planning department is regulating itself.
The illustration with this update shows the junction of Marcus St and Dunhill Road which would be much easier for lorries to negotiate, and is not at the entrance to a primary school.
Below is the text of the email from East Riding Council’s Planning Manager (West).
“I have received your email regarding concerns in relation to construction traffic at the Victoria Pleasure Ground site in Goole.
“The Construction Traffic Management Plan (CTMP) you refer to was agreed by the Council through a condition on the planning permission for the works at Victoria Pleasure Ground. The CTMP was considered by the Highway Development Management team prior to being approved, and they raised no objections to the proposed routing, which is to access the site by Carter Street and leave by Marcus Street and Newport Street.
“I have referred your concerns regarding this routing to the Highway Development Management team who have reviewed the situation and confirmed that they would not want access and egress to be on the same street due to the high amount of on-street parking on Carter Street. There are only limited options for accessing the site and Marcus Street has far less residential properties, so using Carter Street to access the site and Marcus Street and Newport Street to egress is considered acceptable. As such they remain of the view that the routing agreed in the CTMP is the most appropriate.
“Should there by any breaches to this routing it can be referred to Planning Enforcement.
“I hope this explains the situation.
“Kind regards,”
Below is my reply:
“Thank you for your email, and for taking the time to consider the very serious concerns of myself and others in this area of Goole.
“I am not reassured by the response to the concerns set out, rather I am dismayed.
“I agree that two-way construction traffic on Carter St is not a safe or realistic option.
“I don’t agree that Marcus Street and Newport St are the most suitable route after Carter St. Turning into Dunhill Rd, which is wider than Marcus St and does not have a school entrance on a narrow ninety degree corner is not ideal, but is a better option than sending heavy lorries down a route which has a blind 90 degree corner, which lorries will struggle to get round, with the entrance to a school for 5 year olds upwards on that corner. The potential for loss of life, especially among young children, is too big to take.
“The attached photos show the blind 90 degree corner at the school entrance, and the crossroads of Marcus St and Dunhill Rd, which isn’t ideal, but is better. I do wonder if the people who took the decision that Marcus St and Newport St is the safest option have visited the site. If they have, it raises serious doubts about their judgement.
“Your comments about the lack of options underline how fundamentally unsuited to the new purposes and increased use the Victoria Pleasure Grounds is. It is a nineteenth century facility in a dense residential area with narrow streets. A far better option would have been to build new facilities, say on the Junction 36 site where there is plenty of space, good road access and no residential homes to be disturbed. Those alternatives were never properly explored, and any suggestions that they should be dismissed.
“As a citizen I have set out my serious concerns, and there is an audit trail that I have done so. That is all I can do. My concerns, which are shared by other residents, have been dismissed. I would not like to be in any of your shoes if anyone is killed or injured by construction traffic, especially if it is a child.”
Correspondence with HSE forwarded to East Riding’s general email as a safety concern:
To: feedback@eastriding.gov.uk
11 November at 13:57
Dear Sir or Madam,
I wrote to HSE regarding concerns about the Traffic Management Scheme for the Victoria Pleasure Grounds works in Goole, specifically the planned route for lorries leaving the ground which as published would take them down residential streets with a 90 degree blind corner outside the gates of Boothferry Junior School.
HSE have replied that these issues engage law that HSE doesn’t enforce so I should contact the Local Authority. The Local Authority have overseen the drawing up of the plans though so I don’t see how contacting the Local Authority would help. However, as HSE have suggested I do do, I am doing so.
Could you forward this to the department that deals with Highway Safety for me please. The email below has the necessary information, so an online form isn’t a suitable way of sending it.
Others locally are concerned, but I am more confident writing than they, so writing on these concerns is one of my contributions to community life. I’m conscious this runs the risk of me being labelled a “troublemaker”, but we do have concerns.
Thank you for your time.
Richard
G. Richard Coult
Begin forwarded message:
On Sunday, November 3, 2024, 11:13 am, HSE No Reply Accounts <Noreply.accounts@hse.gov.uk> wrote:
Get help with health and safety
Health and safety issue received
Dear G Richard Coult
We received your health and safety issue.
Your reference number is CAT-0210271
What happens next
We may call or email you for more information within 3 working days
We aim to email you within 15 working days (3 weeks) to give you the outcome
Read more about what happens after you report an issue on the HSE website:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/after-you-report-a-problem.htm
.
What you told us
Business or organisation name
No business or organisation name was provided
Issue location
Marcus Street DN14
Newport St DN14
Goole
DN14 6TL
Location Description
The Construction Traffic Management Plan for a project to develop the Victoria Pleasure Grounds in Goole shows 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 is so potentially dangerous it is surprising it has passed risk assessments and not been challenged by East Riding Council, and Goole Town Council. East Riding is responsible authority for project. Authorities ignoring questions and sidelining those who raise issues has been a feature of the whole project - that regularly comes up in public enquiries after tragedies so is of concern before something happens.
Issue
To see the Construction Traffic Management Plan, follow the links below.
Go to the EYRC planning portal:
https://newplanningaccess.eastriding.gov.uk/neuploaded wplanningaccess/simpleSearchResults.do?action=firstPage
Then open the first document:
https://newplanningaccess.eastriding.gov.uk/newplanningaccess/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=SJNC28BJLIO00&activeTab=summary
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):
https://newplanningaccess.eastriding.gov.uk/newplanningaccess/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SJNC28BJLIO00
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 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. A local resident who is an experienced HGV driver says articulated lorries cannot get round the blind 90 degree corner by the school entrance anyway. It is potentially very dangerous to the public.
Date submitted
03/11/2024