Loughborough University is launching a public consultation to inform decision making about the future of two key accesses on the south side of campus.

The consultation has been organised to provide an opportunity for a range of stakeholders to comment on the arrangements the University should implement going forward.

The accesses under consideration are at Falkner Eggington and Ashleigh Drive.  The Falkner exit is currently closed at night, whilst Ashleigh Drive is open.  Residents at both locations have raised concerns about the movement and behaviour of students from campus and have expressed a wish for the exits to be closed.  The University believes that students should have reasonable access to campus on the south side and that completely restricting access to and from campus in this area would generate displacement footfall to other residential areas across Loughborough that already have substantial student footfall. 

Comments are being invited from individual residents, resident groups, individual students, student representatives and other stakeholders. They are being invited to express their preference for one of five access arrangements:

• Ashleigh Drive open and Falkner Eggington closed (all other University pedestrian exits open)
• Falkner Eggington open and Ashleigh Drive closed (all other University pedestrian exits open)
• Creation of an alternative access on to Forest Road between the University properties at 203 and 197 Forest Road (Ashleigh Drive and Falkner Eggington exists closed; all other University pedestrian exits open)
• Creation of an alternative access at the corner of Forest Road and Epinal Way (Ashleigh Drive and Falkner Eggington exits closed; all other University pedestrian exits open)
• Ashleigh Drive and Falkner Eggington closed (all other University pedestrian exists open)

The consultation will run for a period of two weeks from 9am on Monday 28 April 2014 through until 5pm on Monday 12 May 2014.

Comments can be registered online.

A hard copy form can also be obtained by phoning 01509 222238.

Richard Taylor, Loughborough University’s Chief Operating Officer, comments:

“The University brings many advantages to Loughborough, from the economic benefits through to the volunteering of students.  We have traditionally had open access to campus via a range of exits which provide easy access to campus for staff, students and the wider community. There are challenges in managing the interface of campus with the wider community.  Currently there is no consensus of opinion on what is the best arrangement for accesses so we want to invite comments from all stakeholders to help agree a way forward that balances the needs of the University and the concerns of local residents.”