Scheme to improve safety at Douglas school

TYNWALD is being asked to support a scheme to ease congestion and improve safety at Ballakermeen High School, Douglas.

The Department of Education is this month seeking £209,213.50 to provide additional car parking and better bus drop-off/collection facilities in order to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety around the school.

30 parking spaces will be provided alongside the driveway at the front of the school and the bus lay-by area, completed in 2002, will be extended. Bin storage facilities will be improved through the creation of a secure bin store.

Subject to Tynwald approval being obtained, work will start this month and will be completed before the start of the autumn term. The total cost of the scheme is £249,213.50. Tynwald has already approved expenditure of £40,000.

Budget provision is also included for access barriers to be provided at the school’s three entrances/exits to improve site security. Separate planning approval is to be sought for these barriers, which, if obtained, will be installed later in the year.

Estates Director Richard Collister explained:

‘There are insufficient parking spaces on the site. This has necessitated the use of the tennis courts area, located at the front of the school, for staff/visitor parking. This is not a sustainable solution, as the school, given its site constraints, is already lacking in hard play, social and recreational spaces.’

The scheme to extend the lay-by will enable school buses to safely set-down/board students, with an appropriate area for the students to wait, off the driveway, prior to boarding, Mr Collister said.