PROFESSOR ATTACKS SCHOOL BUILD PLANS

Chris Peregrine - 14 July 2005

The professor of paediatrics at Swansea's new medical school has said that plans to build a new Welsh primary school in West Cross are flawed. Gareth Morgan is adamant that there are compelling health and safety reasons why the contentious proposals should be abandoned.

They are based on the current traffic levels in the area - and the extra movement which will inevitably be generated.Swansea Council's cabinet has sent out to public consultation its plans to shake up education in the city, including the West Cross proposals.

They involve moving Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llwynderw from its temporary site in the grounds of Bishop Gore school to alongside Grange and St David's Roman Catholic primaries in West Cross Avenue, West Cross.

Professor Morgan said there were already traffic problems with the two schools, something that would only get worse if a third school was built in the area.

As a parent of three children at St David's, he has already said his piece to education authority officers at a public meeting on the issue.

"I am concerned about the scheme on congestion, pollution and safety grounds," he said."You have lots of cars gridlocked now and carbon monoxide levels are going to rise.

"We are concerned about current levels and would be concerned about pollution levels rising.

"Professor Morgan said the catchment areas for the new school, stretching from Sketty to Gower, would inevitably bring a new influx of traffic to the area."

We are very concerned about traffic," he said.

"Parents park on roads around the schools now and other traffic has to try to pass them."

Professor Morgan said he was told that moving the school to West Cross fitted in with the availability of the site.

But he said: "That is the wrong starting point.

"It should be on educational needs and the welfare and safety of the children.

"I have been involved in planning children's facilities.

"We are extremely concerned that our overwhelming concerns about the welfare and safety of children were not taken as the starting point."

They must come first."

And he said the authority's plan to carry out a risk assessment on the traffic situation after the scheme reached the next stage was not good enough."

It needs to be done," he said.

A Swansea Council spokesman said: "All of the concerns raised by Professor Morgan will be addressed, as explained during the recent public consultation process.

"The council will carry out a major traffic impact assessment in the area.

"It will also be a planning requirement that a school travel plan is in place, in the same way that a plan was devised for the new Sketty school.

"The travel plan will be comprehensive and will consider a range of issues and options."