Plan to cover part of Water Lanes is dropped

Plans to cover part of the Water Lanes stream to allow bike access have been dropped after concerns, the government has said.

The Committee for Education, Sport & Culture asked for the plans to install grids and other cycling infrastructure to be withdrawn.

They were part of the redevelopment of the Les Ozouets Campus site as a centre for post-16 learning so cyclists and pedestrians could avoid the narrow Collings Road where vehicles "often mount the footpath".

A petition opposing the scheme was signed by 600 people who said children liked to play there and instead the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure will look at infrastructure and traffic flows in the Collings Road area.

It will be part of a wider review of access around schools.

Deputy Paul Montague, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, said: "A fundamental part of working for our community is listening and engaging when they communicate passionately with us on issues they care about, and we heard loud and clear that they did not support the proposed changes to the Water Lanes."

Deputy Adrian Gabriel, President for the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure, said experts looked at alternatives to avoid putting a grid over the stream but they "fell short" of making it safe to both walk and cycle there.

"The road is below the ideal width for two-way traffic, leading to vehicles mounting the pavement and creating hazards, while certain junctions pose visibility challenges that increase the risk of collision."

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