RESIDENTS near Bassaleg School in Newport have raised concerns over its proposed expansion because of long-standing issues in traffic management.

In letters written to Newport City Council and its planning agent LRM Planning as part of the public consultation on the expansion plan, the residents’ committee of Court Crescent and Forge Lane has raised serious concerns.

The letters, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, claim the neighbourhood is at “total gridlock” with current levels of traffic.

“Parents and school buses continually blocking access into Court Crescent and incidentally buses stationary on the A467 dual carriageway, which is a major hazard to traffic,” states one letter.

The letters include photographs of cars parking over double yellow lines, at bus stops and across driveways.

However, the residents’ group says a Freedom of Information request found that since the council took over civil parking enforcement last year from Gwent Police, just three drivers had been issued with a fine at Court Crescent.

The £28 million expansion at Bassaleg School would see the overall capacity of the secondary school increase from 1,747 to 2,050 by September 2023. A building replacement project is also proposed to create space for additional pupils.

The scheme is intended to meet increased demand from the school’s catchment area following the opening of Jubilee Park Primary School, Rogerstone, in 2017.

READ MORE:

However, the residents’ committee believes there are alternative ways to increase student places at Newport schools.

The letter to the council says: “In our opinion the catchment area for Bassaleg School should be reduced.

“Marshfield students should go to John Frost School. This would alleviate some of the school buses, parents and sixth-form traffic.

“It would assist in giving a partial solution if a footbridge was provided outside the main gate and the pelican crossing removed to attempt to keep the traffic moving at peak times.”

One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service about their concerns.

They said: “When we moved in 36 years ago there were 700 pupils. Over the last five years the numbers have slowly increased.

“The residents’ committee was set up three years ago and we are up in arms about the situation.”

Residents, parents and other members of the public have until November 12 to submit a consultation response.

Because of the coronavirus restrictions, there will be no public drop-in sessions as part of the consultation.

Instead, questions can be submitted to the education service, with officers responding within a seven-day period.

Once the consultation period ends, a report will be produced to decide whether the proposal moves on to the next stage.

The next stage would be a 28-day statutory proposal period, enabling people to submit formal objections or support to the proposals.

For more information visit http://www.newport.gov.uk/en/Schools-Education/School-reorganisation/Bassaleg-School-expansion.aspx