WOODFORD GREEN: Council to take action on 'dangerous' school crossing (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Council to take action on 'dangerous' Woodford Green schoolkids crossing

8:00am Wednesday 23rd November 2011 in Your Local Areas By Joe Curtis

MORE than 600 people have signed a petition demanding new parking restrictions are introduced on a section of road where schoolchildren are encouraged to cross.

Painted yellow footprints and a stop, look and listen sign on the pavement in Inmans Row near the junction of Monkhams Lane in Woodford Green suggest the road is a safe place to cross.

But while there is a raised platform in the middle of the road to slow traffic down, there are no restrictions in place during the busy school run to stop people parking on or at either side of the platform, which drivers commonly do.

Bollards have been installed to stop motorists parking on the pavement, but parents say this has encouraged motorists to park even further out in the road.

Kathy Hart, 46, of Monkhams Drive, began collecting signatures last month demanding no stopping restrictions are introduced between 8am to 9am and 3pm to 4pm.

The mother takes her 10-year-old daughter Lauren to Wells Primary School every day via the crossing but is scared for her child’s safety.

At an Area Two council committee meeting last night she called on councillors to implement the restrictions.

She said: “Without these restrictions this is a real danger for our children. The council is failing in its duty of care.

“The parked cars obstruct the view of the road and more importantly approaching cars can’t see children trying to cross.

“It’s just a matter of time before we have a serious accident or fatality. All I’m asking for is for is my child to cross the road safely.”

Monkhams ward Cllr Linda Huggett said she would raise the matter immediately but Highways officer Cliff Woolnoth said the department was planning to begin consulting residents about the proposed restrictions this week.

He said: “We are consulting local residents about extending those restrictions to those times this week. We will then feed the results back to the committee.”

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