Teachers make pleas for safety of pupils (From Gazette & Herald)

Teachers make pleas for safety of pupils

TWO senior teachers at Pickering schools pleaded with residents opposed to speed humps in the town's busy Middleton Road and Swainsea Lane to put the safety of children first.

More than 100 people packed Pickering Memorial Hall to hear the debate on the controversial proposal to introduce a 20mph speed limit, speed tables and cushions in the roads.

Andrew Clark, head of Pickering County Primary school, said there had been two accidents in recent weeks, one involving a child, the other shunting vehicles.

"We have over a thousand pupils in this area," he told the North Yorkshire County Council's Ryedale area committee, adding that Pickering did not meet the standard of road safety in other towns in the county.

"Do we want to wait until there is a serious accident before something is done?" he asked.

Trevor Boag, a senior teacher at Lady Lumley's, said the children themselves were concerned about the speed of traffic and for the routes leading to the two schools to be made safer.

Traffic constable Richard Bentley said the current 30mph speed limit in Middleton Road was not working because it was a wide and straight road. Only engineering works will slow traffic down," he said, adding that at times traffic speed reached 60mph.

Graham Cressey, of the county council, said the authority was working with police to put forward a business case for speed cameras to be installed. He said that a suggestion to close Middleton Road at its junction with the A170 Scarborough to Thirsk road could be investigated.

"I want physical measures to stop vehicles going so fast," he added.

Tony Wright, of the county highways department, said Pickering Town Council, the police and the Blind and Partially Sighted Society all supported the action planned to curb speed.

"There is considerable support in principle for the scheme," he said.

Trevor Schofield, a resident, said there was concern about consultation on the issue and he had made a complaint of maladministration against the police and the county council.

"There has been a lack of response over many months," he said.

North Yorkshire County Council officials distributed 420 questionnaires to local residents, as well as to the families of schoolchildren affected.

Residents wanted to see a public meeting held before any final decision was made, he added.

He said rumble strips or 30mph rondells painted on the road should be considered "rather than an all or nothing approach".

County Coun Mike Knaggs said there had been similar problems in Highfield Road, Malton, where there are two schools. "It was an accident area. We introduced traffic calming, and it works," he said.

Coun Linda Cowling, of Ryedale District Council (RDC), said: "There will have to be a public meeting. There are other solutions which could be considered."

Fellow RDC member, Coun Arthur Aslett, a traffic superintendent for 30 years, said: "Don't let us shut the door after someone has been killed or seriously injured." He said motorists only saved 15 seconds by using Middleton Road to avoid going through the town centre and the traffic lights.

Some residents called for parking to be provided in the wide verges in Middleton Road to help solve problems when children are being taken to and collected from school.

County Coun Geoff Rennie, the committee chairman, said an exhibition should be held at Pickering where the public could see the detailed plans and ask questions - a move which was agreed as part of the public consultation process following the publication of the legal notice for the scheme.

Coun Gaynor de Barr, of Pickering council, said she supported an exhibition and suggested that a "gateway" scheme should be built on the approach to Pickering to warn motorists of the dangers. "It would be a very valuable addition to the scheme," she said.

The issue will go back to the committee at a later date following the publication of the public notice of the scheme.

Updated: 13:15 Wednesday, April 02, 2003