CK’s school run moan!

CKhalvashi

epsilondraconis wrote: »

Except for the school run...

As you say, at least it's only every other day.

That’s always a relief!

jackyann wrote: »

If this was on the "families" board we'd be wondering why you have to drive your kids so far?
Can't they go to their catchment school - if too far / unsafe to walk, transport provided?

Incidentally, I heard that in Herts. morning traffic goes down by 33% in the holidays, so you are obviously not alone in making such choices in a populous county where most kids can easily get to school! Your county councillors should really be dealing with this - I know your problem is more short-term than that, but it is really ridiculous!

Myself and OH make up 2 of the 4 County Councillors for the area we live in, which makes life worse.

Neither of us are on our ward, and I will get another Cllr to look into this further, however everything’s focused on the move of a school from the top of the road we live on, so I don’t think we’d get anywhere at the moment.

It would also be worth saying that Highways don’t want to do anything about it, as also stated on the front page of the press a few weeks back!

I have far more important things to deal with on Council (such as fraudulent contracts for County, Taxi drivers threatening rape for District) than sitting in traffic.

It will come out in the wash when I moan about traffic later.

Good news is that I’m not standing for re-election next year :eek:

paddedjohn

Moneybot wrote: »

ummm might that be because there are lots of people going towards the school but a lot fewer going away in that direction?

ummmmm If i travel home from work via the direct route (15 miles) it can take about 40 mins but i now use a different route (same starting point, same destination) and i can get home in 30 mins even though i have to travel a couple of miles more. This is what i was suggesting to the op.
A bit less sarcasm and a bit more thiking please at the back.;)

CKhalvashi

I feel less inclined to moan now

tyllwyd

How about asking the school if they might consider changing the school hours? The schools in our area start at 8.30 rather than 9am. Or perhaps a breakfast homework club, so that parents can drop off earlier?

s_b

get a motorcycle and sidecar to nip through all the traffic,i think butlers sisters husbands got one for sale

almillar

As above how about leaving the kids in earlier, or leaving them 'near' school rather than 'in' school so you avoid the biggest bottleneck.

Gloomendoom

meer53 wrote: »

If you can afford to run and insure 4 cars, do you really have to worry about mpg ?

Surely running and insuring four cars will mean that there is less money left over to pay for fuel, so even more reason to worry about mpg.

Strider590

12 miles? in 1 hour?

Guess how fast a bicycle goes (on average).......


On the other hand I understand some people have no choice, but surely it'd be a lot easier for all of us if the idiot few didn't use a BMX X5/X6, Range Rover or a Porsche Cayenne, to take 1 child and a small lunch box less than 2 miles down the road........

jackyann

I don't live near Herts / Essex any more, so I can't speak about your local issues BUT for the 30 or so years I lived on the Beds/Herts border, I thought your secondary school system a mess!
It appeared to be "comprehensive" whilst actually being very selective. An client of mine ended up with her (not-so-bright) children at a school she was quite unable to access by public transport (for parents' evenings etc.) as it was the only school in the area that would accept her kids - they were transported past 3 "comprehensive" schools that chose children on "parental interview" (ie: we don't want you if your mum has mental health problems)
I presume that mess is why you chose to go to Newport; and I expect all your county council predecessors felt either that they had more pressing things to consider or that they were quite happy with the system that made so many children & parents criss-cross the county.

I am not surprised that you are not standing again - sadly we ask too much of our councillors; but I still say this is the price you pay for not using / feeling able to use your local school.

To those who talked about remote rural areas: I do know that Herts. isn't one! I have also worked in remote areas, where every child still has a catchment school, with transport provided or paid for. It is a dreadful comment on our education & social system that so many feel they have to drive their children so far to school.
I felt very lucky that I lived (in Beds) near what some called a "bog-standard" comprehensive and I called a good school that did well by my kids.

fivetide

not sure it is 12 miles in one hour, that's just the average mph so it's a bit of a misleading figure (it probably is about 12 miles but it shouldn't be taken as red is all)

5t.