NO WAY TO MAKE PLAN

7 June 2005

Frustration at the lack of progress for Llwynderw Primary School is understandable. But it does not follow that the proposed site on West Cross should be welcomed. Contrary to official statements, maps of the site show that it encroaches on existing school playgrounds and would change forever the character of the area.

Two schools and a pupil referral unit already exist on this built-up residential site.Most of the proposed 400 pupils for Llwynderw would arrive by car or bus, adding to those who travel in to St David's and the referral centre.

More children would then be driven to the Grange as parents would be unwilling to let them walk to school amid increased traffic risk.

The parents of Llwynderw would be among those to suffer the frustration of delays, bumps, parking tickets and exposure of their children to health hazards from vehicles.

The area around West Cross Lane already has well-known traffic problems. Why else would a 30mph road have crash barriers situated just below the proposed new school entrance? West Cross Avenue is already a no-go area in the morning, and West Cross Lane would follow suit as it would have to cope with hundreds more vehicles twice a day. As this is a busy road already, rat-runs would be created all through West Cross and Mayals.

The choice of site implies that school planners are pushing through decisions to meet deadlines. This is unimaginative and shortsighted. The proposed site is simply too small to house a school with a huge catchment area that is expected to expand. To squeeze a new school into the already crowded area puts our children at increased risk, is poor environmental management and would ruin one of the finest primary school grounds in Swansea.

Mike Gravenor, West Cross, Swansea