Scheme to make 'chaotic' walks to school safer

Children have called their walking route to school "chaotic" as a council plans a programme for them to feel safer.

Pupils have helped shape Swindon Borough Council's plans to make it easier for them to walk to school. Extra government money means the authority can put £500,000 a year towards working with 20 schools.

The council is being asked to approve the Safer Routes to School policy on Wednesday, which includes more traffic calming, better pedestrian crossings, more 20mph zones and education on road safety.

Year Six pupil Dunmola, from Robert Le Kyng Primary School, said: "I think it's really chaotic and we need some parents to start finding some other place to drop off their children."

Dunmola's school is next to the busy Westcott Place. While there are two pelican crossings on the road, they are not in front of the school, with many crossing the road in between.

Meeting the council's cabinet member for transport and environment, Chris Watts, pupils at the school suggested a lollipop person, speed bumps and speed indicators that show smiley or sad faces.

It adds to recent work done by the council in the School Safe Environment Zone Scheme.

Amber, in Year Two, added that anyone who has to be driven in could be dropped off "in a certain place... and you could walk to school from there".

Year Five pupil Olamide finds walking to school "a little bit scary". He remembers walking on his own when a car "just rushed in front" of him. He has used the pelican crossings since.

Teacher Dave Barnett said he was "slightly horrified" when he saw parents "just edging out into the traffic and sort of hoping for the best".

He added that everyone was guilty of not using the crossings, saying: "We've all got a part to play. That's the teachers that work here, the parents and the children. We need to try and walk a little bit more if we can, cycle a little bit more if we can, use the pelican crossings that are provided."

The council wants to encourage more walking but Watts said people will not walk, scoot or cycle to school "unless they feel safe".

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