Issue - meetings
Malorees Schools - petition for road safety measures
Meeting: 18/12/2012 - Highways Committee (Item 8)
8 Petition for road safety Malorees Schools PDF 1 MB
This report informs the Committee of a petition from parents at Malorees Infant and Junior schools, located on Christchurch Avenue, London, NW6 7PB, to improve road safety outside the schools.
Decision:
(i) Noted the contents of the petition and the issues that were raised.
(ii) Noted the outcomes of investigations and instructed the Head of Transportation to implement school warning and camera enforcement signs in Christchurch Avenue to warn drivers that they were approaching a school, and to deter illegal parking.
Minutes:
Members received a petition from the parents of Malorees Junior and Infant Schools in Christchurch Avenue requesting improvement to road safety outside the schools. The petition which was presented by Councillor Cheese stated as follows:
“We call upon Brent Council to improve the road safety outside Malorees Infant and Junior Schools, in order to reduce risk to children attending school. We call for a school crossing patrol to see children safely across the road, Warning signs along Christchurch Avenue near the school (possibly with images designed by the children) and any other additional appropriate measures”
Councillor Cheese, whilst welcoming the recommendations in the report stated that they would not address the concerns of the parents. He continued that speeding traffic coupled with dangerous driving and double parking continued to make the roads outside of the school unsafe for the school children. He requested an additional school crossing patrol and enforcement measures.
Paul Chandler, Head of Transportation informed members that in order for an additional crossing patrol to be put in place, a series of criteria would need to be applied including pedestrian/traffic ratio, collision and casualty history. The school which already had two school crossing patrols (SCPs) did not meet the criteria. He continued that the road problems highlighted by Councillor Cheese were in part being created by the parents and with that in mind, road safety team officers were working with the children to change the driving habits of some of the parents. Those initiatives and the implementation of school warning signs and camera enforcement signs would assist to deter illegal parking and dangerous driving.
In welcoming the report, members felt that signage and education would go a long way towards addressing the traffic problems the school faced. The Chair added that the school was of a low priority for a third crossing patrol for reasons outlined by the Head of Transportation. In endorsing the views expressed, Councillor Jones suggested that consideration could be given to introducing a refuge to prevent u-turning at the school. Paul Chandler agreed to investigate the potential for constructing a refuge and the potential for funding if such a measure were found to be feasible. Councillors also suggested that the school be involved in the design and production of supplementary “slow down” signs associated with school warning signs to increase the involvement of students and their parents. Paul Chandler agreed to investigate this option with the school. The chair asked if the school had responded to a previous invitation to discuss sharing responsibilities for the existing two SCPs. It was confirmed that it had not.
RESOLVED:
(i) that the contents of the petition and the issues raised be noted;
(ii) that the outcomes of investigations be noted and that the Head of Transportation investigate the other measures discussed with the school once the discussions take place as regards responsibilities for existing SCPs.