In November 2021, following Road Safety Week and informed by conversations at Parent Council, the Site Traffic Management Plan was updated. This was reviewed in August 2023 and found (in the main) to still be up to date and accurate. Minor changes have been made to reflect changes within the Morison Duncan Hall grounds. The full version of the plan is available here:

Traffic-Management-plan-2024 – Word Version

Traffic-Management-plan-2024 – PDF Version

I would ask staff and parents to read and note these important points:

All school users are asked to note that the speed limit
throughout Gauldry is 20 mph and this should be respected at all
times.

Parents are asked to walk their child to school wherever possible
or to take advantage of school transport if they live more than a
mile away but within the catchment area. This will limit the
number of cars around the school at drop off and pick up times. If you live in Gauldry and are therefore within walking distance of the school – please leave your car at home.

If parents do need to drive their child to school, because they live outwith Gauldry, they are asked to park at a distance and walk the final section to reduce the number of cars outside the school.  Under no circumstances should cars park on the yellow zig zag marked areas at the front of the school or in the bus bay. Parents and staff should be aware that if they park on the opposite side of the road to the zig zags, their car may obstruct the clear view of pupils crossing to school and wherever possible we do ask that parents and staff find on street parking at a distance and walk the final section.

The Morison Duncan Hall grounds do not belong to the school. The committee allow school staff to use the car park on days when it does not clash with a Hall event (e.g. Thursday Cafe). By allowing school staff to park here, it reduces the instance of cars being parked on Main Road all day which can cause issues to residents and bin lorries. There is little space for parents to make use of the Hall Car Park as well as staff and we need to ask that parents only use the car park if they need to for the safety of very young children (Nursery/P1 only) and if there is space. Parents should not park in a way that blocks access to the recycling area nor in a way that blocks the entrance to the Hall grounds or the electric charging points. If your children are in P2 or older, please park on the street at a distance from school and walk the final section, leaving the limited space in the hall carpark for those with very young children.

Children are in the care of school staff from when they enter the
building at 9am and until they leave the building at 3pm. Parents
have the responsibility to ensure their child’s journey to and
from school is safe and no parent should allow their child to
walk, cycle or travel by any other means to school on their own
without first ensuring their child knows a safe route and how to
behave safely around moving vehicles.

All staff and parents are asked to avoid idling their car while stationary or while waiting for drop off or pick up. This is in line with Fife Council advice: available here.

The existing School Travel Plan can be read here: Balmerino School Travel Plan. There are minor details of this plan which are out of date (including photos and names) but in essence it remains relevant. An update of the Travel Plan needs to be carried out by the Travel Plan coordinator in conjunction with a range of stakeholders. Parent Council can invite the Travel Plan Coordinator to a future meeting, if it is felt the plan needs those updates.

Any parent with concerns about the management of traffic or travel around the school should feel free to contact me directly.

Lucy Jess, August 2024