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Arran’s new high school opened this week amid controversy over a plan to send eight school buses along a residential street.
Residents of Park Terrace, Lamlash, have expressed alarm at the proposal, one of several temporary measures being discussed as an answer to bus parking. They say their road is not suitable and fear an accident or, at the very least, congestion.
Others say they were not consulted about the proposals.
The measures were being considered today (Friday) at a meeting in the high school.
This week, pupils alighting from school buses were directed along the path up the side of Whitehouse Woods.
Brian Cameron, of 4 Park Terrace, opposed the measure. He said: ‘Three generations of our family have been to that school and if they bring school buses up here it will be a nightmare. The road isn’t fit for that traffic and is congested with workmen’s vehicles. I’ve driven school buses here and it can be chaos when the kids all jump out.’
Dougie and Heidi Macfarlane, at No 5, said: ‘We’ve got two young boys and would not be happy with buses up here.
‘If they are turning at Benlister, that is full of primary children and would be very dangerous. The corner at the Aldersyde would also be an accident waiting to happen.’
Lamlash community councillors Maureen Smith and Brenda Stewart said they were not consulted.
Brenda Stewart said: ‘They cannot be serious about bringing buses up Park Terrace. It would be an accident waiting to happen.’
Maureen Smith said: ‘I know nothing of these meetings. I heard that they were planning to bring buses up Park Terrace and got on to Dr Jim Tulips, leader of the PPP team. Park Terrace is full of family homes and Thomson’s building yard. What happens if emergency services need to get through?’
Stagecoach provides six 49-seat coaches and two 25-seat minibuses each day to ferry pupils to and from the school from all over the island.
