Telford council says school pupils must travel 200 yards – by mini bus
Friday 15th July 2011, 7:30PM BST.
Teachers at a Shropshire school have been told they must pay for a mini-bus to take children on a 200-yard field trip – after education chiefs ruled it was too dangerous for pupils to cross a busy road.
Classes of children at St Peter and St Paul Roman Catholic Primary School in Newport have been walking the short distance to enjoy their studies outdoors at the neighbouring Chetwynd Deer Park.
But road safety rules have seen bosses at Telford & Wrekin Council step in and object because the year five and six children have to cross the busy Chetwynd Road – despite doing it safely in the past.
Instead, the school now has to pay £160 for a minibus to pick them up and drop them off just over 200 yards down the road.
Karen Lamb, a parent of a year six pupil at the school, said the council’s move was “ridiculous”.
Hilda Rhodes, council cabinet member for transport, environment and community protection, said the authority has applied the same safety criteria it would for a school crossing patrol or a walking bus.
In a letter to parents, the school wrote: “Unfortunately due to the speed of traffic on Chetwynd Road, Telford & Wrekin Council feel unable to endorse our previous practise of walking the pupils to the site once a week for a six week period.
“Therefore we will be using coach transport to and from Deer Park in order to overcome these difficulties.”
Mrs Lamb said: “Telford & Wrekin Council are advocating walking to school and a number of children use this road to school everyday.”
Councillor Rhodes added: “We consider that the layout of the road has poor visibility for drivers coming from Newport and therefore we do not consider the crossing point to be safe.
“We have therefore been working closely with both the school and the police to identify a long term safe solution to enable children to get to the Deer Park safely.
“One of the options that has been raised as an alternative is the use of a bus to ensure the safety of the pupils. This is purely a temporary measure and we look forward to establishing a proper safe crossing point.”
By Jason Lavan
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Just when schools are closing,council staff having their wages cut, Telford & wrekin council say this school has to pay for a mini bus for such a short distance, what a joke!!
Its about time common sense prevails than the so called rule book. If the parents are happy for the kids to walk. let them walk.
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Mrs Lamb is right – it is ridiculous.
Year 5 and 6 children are perfectly capable of crossing a busy road when supervised, what a waste of precious resources having to pay for a minibus. The council have plenty sitting about in their fleet – as they are stepping in and saying transport must be used when it’s unnecessary, the council should provide a fleet bus free of charge to transport them. Bet they’d change their minds then.
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The person who thought this one up, should be the first person out of the door, SACKED.
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They can’t win with you council bashers. How about you put yourself up and get voted in and see what rules you have to work within?
Also, what would you would say.. if this walking carried on and:
– a car knocked over one/many of the kids?
– you drove down that road everyday in your SLK ignoring the speed limit and found the council wanting a 20mph speed limit on it?
Perhaps they will put a speed limit on it and humps..? How about you shouting for that?
What are the ‘safeguarding’ rules/guidelines given to the council, I don’t think they invent their own?
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What would you say if the minibus crashed?
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I was not arguing for either way – just pointing out that it’s not quite as simple as this infers and the council can’t win either way.
Hows about some pressure for this crossing or a 20mph area? C’mon journos – or isn’t that a sexy story?
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How about common sense and the good old Green Cross Code DC?
When we went to school we managed to walk a mile each way without being knocked over etc.etc. because we were taught the aforementioned.
This council is ruddy ridiculous and such stupid red-tape like this should be abolished.
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Why not integrate it as part of a road safety lesson, or a novel idea, get a CSO or a proper policeman to guide them across you know like they used to?
And there was me thinking that this health and safety minefield was supposed to being reduced.
How on earth are children supposed to get streetwise?
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Would that be the safe crossing point that has been in planning for well over 5 years now?
My children are more than capable of crossing that road on their own – they don’t need to be wasting this kind of money. Next they’ll be making someone redundant at the council due to ‘funding pressures’.
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I’m really starting to wonder of all the NOW readers have defected to the SS!
How about you all read past the headline to the actual quote from the council?
…
This is purely a temporary measure and we look forward to establishing a proper safe crossing point.”
Makes sense to me!
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Thanks PNG!
I was about to post a “health & safety nonsense, world’s gone mad” type comment, then I read your piece and reread the original story.
To be honest I think the council are in a “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation.
Some of us on here (myself included), need to make sure our brain’s always engaged before firing off comments….
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I do hope that the little kiddies will be issued with plenty of cotton wool to wrap themselves in, just in case they trip up/down the bus steps or bang into the seats.
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I will LMAO if the minibus is involved in an accident – assuming no-one is hurt of course.
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When the school was proposed T & W Eeducation & Planning depts designated Forton Road not Chetwynd Road as the main pedestrian route to the school due to the speed of traffic on Chetwynd Road , and there being only one entrance to the Deer Park housing estate.
Traffic calming measures and a pelican crossing were installed at that time on Forton Roaad.
There is a blind spot as vehicles and pedestrians travelling from Newport approach the brow of Chetwynd Road, as there is a slight bend in the road and the road quickly descends firstly passing the Deer Park Drive turning, then onwards past the entrance to Chetwynd Deer Park. Vehicles travelling from Newport cannot see pedestrians crossing at the entrance to the Chetwynd Deer Park until they have travelled past the blind spot. At that point, the pavement is raised and is crossed more safely by walking diagonally.
However, vehicles travelling from the A41 towards the turning for Deer Park Drive have a good view of the entrance to Chetwynd Deer Park (used on show days), and the Deer Park Drive entrance beyond as the road is flatter, straighter and the pavement is lower. A pedestrian crossing would be better suited to that point.
There is another entrance to Chetwynd Deer Park further along Chetwynd Road towards the A41 by the derelict lodge. Can pupils walk along the public right of way behind the schoolto the large car park, where there is space if they need to wait to cross the road, and gain access to the Park via the gate opposite the derelict lodge (which is used on show days).
May be more fun, more exercise and a cost savig exercise
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Tut tut, where’s the Green Cross Man when you really need him?
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