Agenda item
Petition for pelican crossing outside Fryent Primary School, Church Lane, NW9
This report informs the Committee of a petition seeking the introduction of Pelican crossing on Church Lane outside Fryent Primary School - where a zebra crossing already exists. The petitioners are concerned about the safety of children crossing the road at this location. The report outlines the results of a review of the situation and advises that Transport for London (TfL) set the criteria for, and make decisions on, the introduction of pelican crossings in London and that this location does not meet their criteria for the introduction of a pelican crossing.
Decision:
(i) Noted the contents of the petition and the issues raised;
(ii) Noted the course of action taken by officers in relation to the issue;
(iii) Instructed the Head of Transportation to reconsider the petition in the light of the proposed expansion of the school and report to this Committee.
Minutes:
The Committee received a report which informed members of a petition signed by 102 residents seeking the introduction of pelican crossing on Church Lane outside Fryent Primary School on grounds of safety of the school children crossing the road at that location.
Tim Jackson, Head of Transportation, informed
members that traffic signals within Greater London
were owned, installed and maintained by Transport for London
(TfL). It
was their decision (and not the Councils) as to whether any new
traffic signals, including pelican crossings, can be installed at
any particular location. He added that
TfL’s currently aimed to minimise
the introduction of new traffic signals within Greater London and
to that end they have established criteria on personal injury
accidents (PIA) and the level of pedestrian activity associated
with the site (PV2) that have to be met as part of the approval
process for new signals. He
advised that Church Lane, with only one PIA in the last 3 years
which represented 0.3 and PV2 of 0.7, fell short of
TfL’s required level of 1.8 and
1.0, respectively. He advised that even
had the criteria been met, funding for the introduction of
the pelican crossing would have to be identified.
In view of the above and in accordance with the decision of the Executive in relation to the School Crossing patrol service, officers had been examining opportunities to introduce additional risk mitigation measures in the vicinity of the school entrance which would be consulted on with the local community in February 2012. He outlined the key elements of the proposals for which budget provisions had been identified utilising a developer S106 contribution, as follows;
· The raising of the existing zebra crossing outside the school to reduce vehicular approach speed.
· The introduction of a raised informal crossing point at the site of an existing traffic island south of the school so as to enhance the crossing point and to assist in slowing the speed of vehicles along that section of Church Lane.
· The installation of vehicle activated signs (VAS) to deter excessive speed on the approaches to the zebra crossing.
· The provision of additional road safety education training alongside additional parking enforcement.
Mrs Prabh Salaman, a parent governor of Fryent Primary school, in addressing the Committee stated that children’s safety had become even more paramount following the deletion of the post of school crossing patrol. As a result, the officer’s statistics taken when the crossing patrol was in post was significantly different from the current situation. In reference to the school’s proposed expansion programme, Mrs Salaman stated that with increased pupils and activity, the current situation was likely to be aggravated. She re-iterated the request for a pedestrian pelican crossing which she felt would be a safer option than the current zebra crossing. In commenting on the rear entrance to the school, Mrs Salaman stated that the rear entrance would be for the nursery school only and would not assist in the safety of the other children mainly from reception to class 6 who would be crossing Church Lane, a busy road, to Fryent Primary School.
In noting the report, Members felt that it would be prudent for the Head of Transportation to reconsider the petition in the light of the school’s proposed expansion programme and instructed the Head of Transportation accordingly.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the contents of the petition and the issues raised be noted;
(ii) that the course of action taken by officers to mitigate risks at the entrance to the school as outlined in the report be noted;
(iii) that the Head of Transportation be instructed to reconsider the petition in the light of the proposed expansion of the school and report to this Committee at an appropriate date.
Supporting documents: