School plea for crossing is refused

Pupils, parents, residents, and politicians were all involved in the push for a crossing and traffic-calming outside Meadow View Primary School on Meadowhall Road.

Local councillors Jahangir Akhtar and John Foden had joined the calls for change, and a petition with 173 names was handed to Rotherham Council calling for action.

But a spokesman for the authority's environment and development services department said: "Speed surveys undertaken late last year and early this year have revealed our criteria for a pedestrian crossing have not been met.

"Children from the school are currently being aided across the road by a school crossing patrol at start and finish times.

"And there has only been one injury accident recorded within 100m of the school entrance in the last three years. The main speed was just over 30mph, so on both counts this was not seen as a site requiring traffic calming."

However Coun John Foden, of Rotherham West Ward, maintained: "Meadowhall Road is a major problem both ways from the school entrance and is in need of detailed analysis to look at possible solutions.

"It is a major route to Kimberworth and the school run exacerbates the problem. A controlled crossing would be one solution to the problem with no parking either side, though this may conflict with parking for residents.

"If this was to be implemented, a residents' parking scheme may be needed for some areas. In any case it certainly needs a good detailed study doing and the safety of parents and children is a priority.

"The school itself must play a part and try to instil parents and grandparents with safety-minded advice when picking up kids and parking cars."

A lay-by is to be pedestrianised, and 30mph speed limit is set to be extended, to boost safety near a different Rotherham school.

Two vehicle bays are also to be removed outside Wales Primary School on School Road to make way for the paved area, boosting safety for kids. The scheme will cost 30,000.

A council spokesman said: "Although the lay-by was made to ease some of the parking problems around the school at arrival and leaving times, many requests have been made to have it removed.

"People preferred this area being converted into a footway and on balance we think it will be of benefit to parents and children."