Read more: Let kids walk to school

We, in the campaign to save the schools, support the Proposing Group in their ideas for the new school. We simply do not accept it has to happen over the dead bodies of two good existing schools. We suggest the following;

Keep both schools.

Obtain 'Foundation' status for both of them creating some independence from the Council.

'Federate' the schools so they work closely together and have economies of scale.

Implement the Proposing Group's ideas within them including the 6th form.

Re-apply for funding for rebuild/refurbishment.

The traffic assessment that the Council's Education Department carried out shows that the new school will cause about 240 extra car journeys between 8 and 9am. This assumes that the majority of students will walk to school. Malin Bridge Gyratory will have an increase of 30% on today's traffic levels. Traffic up Stannington Road will double and it will increase by about 75% on roads into Malin Bridge from Hillsborough. The assessment shows that a subsidised bus would remove a mere 45 car journeys.

The Council have stated that they will not be subsidising a bus service. To our knowledge they have made no financial commitment to fund improvements in road crossings. Even with improved road crossings, there would be only tens, not the hundreds of students needed to switch from car to foot.

The Education Department has always stated that traffic issues would be addressed by the upcoming planning application for the new school. It is shocking that they failed to consider traffic issues at the start of the process. As a result they have wasted about £300,000 so far on the scheme. We trust that the Council's Planning Committee will apply the correct criteria to this application and will not be 'snowballed' into accepting it.

It is down to the people of Stannington and Hillsborough to object when the planning application is submitted in order to prevent traffic and environmental blight for our area.