Basically, I along with many others use a 'cut through' to get my children to school, this cut through has been used for over 30yrs.
It is through a gate that takes us down the side of a golf club car park. There has been an arrangement with the high school and the primary school and the council that parents and pupils can use this gate to get to either school.
It is basically a safe walking route, over a field and avoiding a busy A road and several other busy roads. It also makes the walk a reasonable distance ie a half hour walk, rather than a 50min walk if we can't use the cut through.
It came to our attention before Christmas that there were rumours it was going to be closed. We tried to email/phone/speak to the council and the golf club but got no reply.
The rumours were quickly revealed to be true when we got told the gate is closing as of Feb half term.
Agfain we tried to contact the parties involved to not avail.
So a few of us got together and decided to do a petition, contact local MPs, councilors etc, basically to shout loudly!
We even asked a question at local city cabinet meeting and with over 600signatures on our petition and over 500 likes on our fb we were getting heard, local papers and radio asked to speak to us and low and behold the council and the golf club have agreed to meet BUT they have arranged the meeting without trying to ask us what would be doable and have arranged it for school run time!!!! And having agreed a venue, they today changed the venue if the meeting to one awkward to get to and with parking issues and meaning we need childcare for a longer period of time.
Again they have not responded to calls or emails so we could talk about this.
Its bloody infuriating! They have realized local opinion is such that they have to at least look like they are listening but the reality is that it seems like a facade, just making minimal effort and they aren't going to do anything.
The reality is there is lots going on behind closed door, including issues over land ownership and liability and we as parents and our children are the victims!!
www.facebook.com/soschoolrun
So aibu to be furious, my children and 150 others will end up with a long and dangerous walk to school. Yet the council actually dont give a shit,
On our fb page there is a map showing the current walk and the route the council wants us to take instead. There is also an repetition if you want to help us shout loudly, or just like the fb page.
The whole situation is crazy, parking and congestion is already terrible around both schools, closing this safe walking route is going to make the situation worse!
The irony is they are saying they are closing the gatedue to safety issues as cut down the side of a car park... The alternative route has no pavement for part of it, a blind corner, takes up a rat run road and then along a very busy a road where the pavement is a cycle path!!!
This situation could be resolved, speed bumps before the golf club car park, hatched pavement, small fenced off pavement or just a sign telling drivers to slow down if they think its dangerous but thats not the real issue its all internal politics, land ownership and money
We even offered a walking school bus and parent patrols etc.
I have used this gate every school run for the last eight years, its perfectly safe!!
Sorry that was long but I have spent the last few weeks on phones, email, fb, talking to press and councilors and I am beyond pissed off with how difficult the council are being, seriously how hard is it to answer the phone or reply to an email?!!
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Petitions and activism
to be furious with the council re school run....need support!
36 replies
5madthings · 22/01/2014 20:58
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