More calls for safety measures outside schools

Frustrated parents and teachers battling for years to stop traffic from using a cramped street opposite a primary have asked the council what it will take before anything is done.

The narrow Thorneloe Walk which serves St George’s RC Primary School in Worcester has been the site of several crashes and near misses in recent years, the most recent of which saw a city council lorry crash into a wall outside the school during the morning rush.

The school has continued to push to protect its pupils from dangerous parking and driving and one parent Isabelle Michel questioned whether it would take a serious accident before Worcestershire County Council was pushed into action.

Speaking to the county council’s cabinet on December 8, she said: “We are really asking for a common-sense decision.

“We are talking about children’s safety and we are talking about 10 years of the school and residents asking for action. We are talking about several near-misses, several articles in the newspaper and two wall collapses.

“So I am asking you, what will it take for you to take action?”

The campaign to make Thorneloe Walk a ‘school street’ would see bollards installed and the road closed to traffic for an hour during drop-off and pick-up times to allow children and parents to get to school safely.

A petition pushing for safety measures has reached more than 250 signatures so far.

Ms Michel read out a letter from St George’s headteacher Gill Gittins which said: “The school regularly receives complaints because of dangerous and inconsiderate parking around the school. Examples include parking on pavements causing obstructions, blocking driveways, parking on double yellow lines and allowing children to exit vehicles while stopping on clear zig-zag lines.

“However the main concern we witness is vehicles travelling along the narrow road of Thorneloe Walk at peak school times.

“Over the years there have been several near misses with children, cyclists, children on scooters and parents pushing babies in pushchairs along this narrow stretch of road.”

Former headteacher Mike Painter is said to have tried to bring in safety measures around the school in 2012 but nothing came to fruition.

“Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, no road safety measures were adopted,” the letter went on to say.

“Many different initiatives have been promoted over the years including walk, bike and scooter-to-school events, weekly bike-to-school events led by a parent, messages to parents, emails and newsletters regarding considerate parking and driving and requesting them not to drive along Thorneloe Walk, involvement of community support officers to monitor driving and parking, meeting with local councillors, governors, parents and residents to discuss new approaches.

“Despite the above measures we still have serious road safety within close proximity to the school.

“Over the last year, the wall on the corner of Thorneloe Walk has been hit twice by vehicles and the damage was extensive.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Simon Geraghty, leader of Worcestershire County Council, said: “Obviously we will consider the petition when it comes in and a response will be given. We really do appreciate you coming and giving up the time to address the cabinet on the matter.”