Please help - who do I lobby to get a pelican crossing on a dangerous stretch of road

[hmc]

It is some time off but in 3 years time my daughter will be off to secondary school on the school bus and when she disembarks she will have to cross the A36 to get home. It is treacherous - juggernauts etc bombing along at 50 mph, always busy at all times of the day.

I absolutely cannot countenance her risking life and limb to do this - frankly I feel vulnerable crossing the A36 so don't want her doing it. I am actually considering selling up and moving in order to avoid this scenario, but don't want to leave my house (like it, despite its A36 road side location)

I've got 3 years - who do I try to influence /lobby for a pelican crossing?I have the energy and commitment, just not sure how to start....

.

Hi hmc

I know how worried you must be. My son has to cross a busy road to go to school. A child was killed there a few years back and the local community have been campaigning for a toucan crossing. Its slightly safer. Start with a letter to local councillor, MP, roads department and Headteachers. We approached it with the parent council of any schools involved and a local pensioners group. It took a few years and I'm sure it was more to do with a new cycle path being created then anything else.

Best of Luck

Thanks Lillybloom, I appreciate your answer. Sounds like you got somewhere with your campaign eventually?

Ask the school whether it has, or is developing a School Travel Plan. It may be that the school is aware that the lack of a crossing is a deterrent to pupils walking or cycling to school, and is already lobbying for a crossing. Also, as lillybloom says, contact your local district and county councillors and make your voice heard.

I wonder if I might be caught in the middle. I live a few hundred yards away from Hampshire, in Wiltshire - literally a few hundred yards. Pelican crossing needs to be at Wiltshire end (because pavement ends there) but secondary school is in Hampshire! Just to complicate matters

Try to get the local parish council on your side. It's the kind of aera they can excel in.

I will give it my best shot - might have to start attending the meetings. It will be worth it if it pays off. Ludicrous that otherwise I will have to consider moving house....

get on to the council and enquire first whether there are any plans to put something in - I wrote last year to my council about a particular spot which is really difficult to cross and found that there was already a pelican crossing for pedestrains and bikes planned - again it is on a school route, It still took 10 months from when I had enquired (again they had spent money on cycle route just up the road, so couldn't state lack of money).

if they can't provide you with a crossing you can state this means you have to drive your child to school which in this day and age when they are encouraging their own staff to cycle and walk - which most councils are doing, it is a poor show and go to the newspaers with your story - as a last resort.

i would put a few fingers in a few pies at the same time to move things along.

Write to the highways department for the local authority which the road is in. They will almost certainly have some sort of prioritised list of safety schemes in their Local transport plan capital programme. Ask if they have any schemes planned in that area and also for data on how many accidents there have already been on that particular stretch of road.

To be fair, council highways budgets are so streched than IME, safety schemes will generally only be put in where there is a history of accidents. However, as ChippyMinton says above, it is well worth asking about whether the school has a school travel plan and also what the position is with regards to the 'safer routes to school' part of the budget. Even though the school and the stretch of road are managed by differet authorities, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the two neighbouring authorities could work together to come up with a solution. Just be aware though that transport budgets are likely to be squeezed spectacularly by the new Govt and that the focus is likley to be on accident reduction (ie, sites with a recent history of accidents) rather than general danger reduction.

HTH??

Oh my - the night time crowd have excelled themselves after no advice all day. Thanks very much

Off to bed now but adding this thread to my watch list, and a busy morning of googling district authorities, highway agency etc and letter writing awaits!

don't forget you can email the council and you don't need to leave your home to get a stamp

Yes, as ruckyrunt says, you can email them. I have just had a quick look and found this address for you.... Try this email address ([email protected])- usually a good starting place as this team should have an overview of the whole LTP programme. Also have a look at this which might help.

I would try the actual council officers first, then if they are no help, try the councillors and then as a last resort, get the press involved.

Good luck!

Brilliant - thanks for the email address !