St Augustine's School Expansion Solihull

Some of the main concerns are:
- The current situation caused by the build up of excessive traffic in the area dropping off and picking up from four schools already leads to minute-by-minute infringements of the parking regulations and inconsiderate / illegal / dangerous driving manoeuvres.
- The traffic in the roads near St Augustine’s school is often at a standstill at peak times twice per day, and the plan proposes to double the amount of traffic.
- The neighbourhood already faces the danger of a serious accident caused by this traffic.
- Many houses are already at risk of being inaccessible by Ambulance, Fire Services, or Police during peak times.
- Residents feel trapped inside their homes twice a day, especially at pickup time when thoughtless driving and parking is combined with abusive parents.
- The proposed plan will double the number of cars visiting the school during each 'school run'. We believe that nearly 70% of parents at St Augustine’s live outside the area and travel by car this will increase the traffic from just this one school by at least 150 cars twice a day.
- This volume of traffic and emissions has serious health implications for all the children at the four schools as well as the residents living nearby.
- Despite the scientific evidence supporting the dangers of air pollution, some parents sit with their engine’s running whatever time of year.
- The plan is intended to support children moving into semi-rural (relatively light traffic) areas of the borough by attracting them into the centre of town. This cannot be sustainable. Surely it is better to build another small school where the need is rather than bring people from miles around.
- The three main roads leading from the schools campus - Widney Lane, Monkspath Hall Road, and Blossomfield Road each can have queues up to 10 minutes during the 'school run'.
- An additional annual 120,000+ of car mileage and the noxious emissions resulting is likely to be incurred in transporting children to and from school as compared to a school based in Tidbury Green or Blythe Valley.
- The acceptance of an initial increase of 210 children is likely to have a further knock-on effect when those children need to moving to the 'next-door' school - St. Peter's.