20mph bid outside Shropshire primary school is refused
Parents have been refused a 20mph limit outside their children's school near Bridgnorth – because there have not been enough accidents on the road.
Several parents and residents had raised concerns about traffic speeding near Highley Primary School, which they said was placing children in danger.
Councillor Dave Tremellen called on Shropshire Council to reduce the speed by 10mph along the stretch of Redstone Drive.
He said the addition of 58 new homes once a nearby housing development had been completed would simply add to the traffic in the area.
But Shropshire Council wants to keep the speed limit at 30mph because there was no evidence of accidents on that stretch of road.
Councillor Tremellen said he had been told that Shropshire Council would refuse the request, a decision he described as "incredible".
He said: "My question is what is the statistical threshold that Highley Primary School has to cross to be sufficient to convince our traffic engineers that it qualifies for a 20mph zone?
"How many children needed to be injured or killed?"
I cannot understand the council's reluctance because the Department for Transport's current guidance encourages local authorities to implement 20mph limits in situations where there is a particular risk to vulnerable road users, singling out schools as being particularly appropriate.
"Given the authority shares with parents a responsibility for the safety of children, it is incredible that the decision to create 20mph safety zones is dependent on a history of 'incidents'."
Councillor Claire Wild, cabinet member for highways and transport, said the council's road safety policy put an emphasis on determining the appropriate type of intervention on a site by site basis.
She said: "With respect to Highley Primary School, the key concern raised with the support of the parish council has been in relation to the crossing point on the B4555 Bridgnorth Road, adjacent to Redstone Drive.
"We are looking at ways in which we can improve the crossing point to enhance the safety for the pedestrians.
"Whilst the absence of a history of relevant personal injury accidents does not at all preclude the consideration of a 20mph restriction, it is merely one of the parameters for weighing up the benefits of a particular scheme."
