Please find the response received from NYC regarding traffic issues at Darwin School Baldersby St James, below. These are responses to various suggestions that have been put forward.

"Installation of a sleeping policeman (Speed Bump) just after the 30mph sign

There are no plans and no justification to provide physical traffic calming features in the village and I am confident the residents of a rural village would not welcome such features given the additional noise such features can generate.

Mirror opposite the car park entrance/exit to see oncoming traffic

The Council does not support the use of traffic mirrors in the highway unless there is no visibility whatsoever and they are absolutely essential for road safety. I would suggest from the photo supplied and after looking at historic images on Google Maps, the wheelie bin is the main concern here as it’s within the visibility splay for motorists exiting the school.

Move the 30mph sign further away from the it present position to provide more time for deceleration

The 30mph terminal signs are already positioned a good distance away from the start of the built-up environment and moving them any further cannot be supported by ourselves or the police.

Introduce an additional 40mph sign/limit 300 metres from the village, to slow down vehicles more quickly before entering the village

There is no need to do this here given the position of the 30mph signs and this would not be supported by the police. It would lead to general non-compliance.

Reduce the speed limit for vehicles travelling through the village to 20mph

The Council are now much more flexible with the introduction of 20 mph speed limits in villages with schools and where school travel takes place. However, 20mph speed limits MUST be self-enforcing and given the high existing mean speeds through the village (and the PC’s previous speeding concerns) we cannot support this request here. Significant traffic calming and a 20mph zone would be required through the village and there is no justification for this amount of expenditure when the main concern is cars entering/exiting the school. I don’t think the residents would welcome urbanising the village or the additional noise.

After meeting the PC in April 2024 (after the Primary School had closed) to discuss the introduction of vehicle activated signs (VAS) in the village, I arranged the removal of the school warning signs and school flashers, but left the posts in-situ for the PC to use. I don’t think these posts have ever been used for a VAS. Given the school has now reopened, there is a case for the reintroduction of school warning signs on these posts if motorists will encounter children crossing in the road ahead, going to the school. I can arrange these signs if the posts are not being used and children walk to the school."

Alexie Heath-Noel

Clerk & RFO to the Parish Council