UC expert expects more traffic congestion with closure of Christchurch schools

Christchurch motorists can expect increased traffic congestion if plans to close a number of schools go ahead.

A University of Canterbury academic believes travel implications are inevitable as students will have to travel further to get to school.

Professor Simon Kingham, co-director of UC’s GeoHealth Laboratory, says bigger schools would mean more cars at the school gate which would lead to greater congestion.

``We know that increased distance and more traffic are two significant disincentives to people wanting to cycle or walk. This means the proposals will almost certainly have negative impacts on uptake of people wanting to bike to school.

``This is at a time when other plans for the renewal of Christchurch include a desire for more walking and cycling in a rebuilt city. In addition, there are also likely to be negative impacts on the wellbeing of local communities as a result of school closures and mergers.

``These types of external impacts of the school rationalisation proposal need to be considered.’’

Professor Kingham said fewer schools would mean some students would have to travel further to get to school. Greater distances meant they were less likely to walk or cycle. Plus, bigger schools would result in more people travelling to and from school which meant more cars and more traffic congestion. This would put people off from wanting to bike or walk to school.

However, he said there were possible solutions to preventing traffic congestion.

``It is essential that decisions about travel behaviour are factored into the decision making process, to understand the transport implications of closing and merging schools.

``The external impacts of school closures or mergers on school travel may affect the ultimate decisions to be made.  Decisions about school locations need to feed into urban planning specifically transport planning.

``Our research clearly tells us that separation from traffic is the key to encouraging people to cycle, so we need to plan infrastructure accordingly to encourage people to cycle to school. This means identifying key roads and put in place separated cycle ways where necessary; and secondly, design cycle priority corridors.

Sometimes referred to as greenways or bike boulevards, these routes would encourage cycling and discourage cars.  Professor Kingham said this could be achieved through reductions in speed limits and restrictions on motor vehicle access or through flow. Many of the proposed school changes were in the most damaged parts of the city, where major infrastructure repairs are already taking place.

``We have a unique opportunity to make any changes in infrastructure complement any changes in schooling to achieve a better transport outcome,’’ he said.