'You are putting our kids lives at risk. We will barricade the road' (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

'You are putting our kids lives at risk. We will barricade the road'

Oliver Tomkins School mum Jayne Kiddell with her petition and fellow parents Picture Ref: 78112-02PARENTS are warning kids' lives are at risk outside a Swindon school.

As reported in yesterday's late edition, a nine-year-old boy was knocked down by a school bus outside Oliver Tomkins C of E School.

Several children witnessed the accident, at around 8.20am.

Now parents have launched a petition calling for improved safety measures.

Last night it emerged that the Toothill school has been without a lollipop lady for weeks since the former crossing attendant left.

Headteacher Elizabeth Wood says staff have feared for kids' safety for months.

She said the area has seen a sharp rise in traffic since traffic-calming was imposed in nearby Freshbrook Way.

"Beaumaris Road is being used as a rat-run by people who want to avoid Freshbrook Way," said Mrs Woods.

"The accident was very upsetting for the children who saw it.

"Luckily a lady qualified in first aid passing in her car stopped to help."

The boy in yesterday's accident suffered minor injuries but parents say he could have been killed. Jayne Kiddell, 29, of Tintagle Close, Toothill, started the petition. "I will personally sit in the middle of road on a deckchair if things aren't sorted," said Mrs Kiddell, whose eight-year-old daughter, Kayleigh, is a pupil at the school. "Other mums will barricade the street with wheelie bins if they have to then no traffic will get down there.

"Our children's lives are at risk.

"The headteacher showed me a file full of letters she had received from the council, but nothing has been done."

Richard Freeman, council spokesman, said an investigation is underway.

A meeting has been arranged to let parents and residents have their say.

"Oliver Tomkins School has requested traffic-calming measures to be implemented outside the building," he said.

"A meeting to discuss this proposal is scheduled for July 13, which is the first stage of the normal evaluation process.

"The Freshbrook Way traffic-calming scheme, which includes a new pedestrian crossing, has significantly reduced casualties since it was installed in April 2003.

"In the five years prior to that, 12 people were injured in accidents on Freshbrook Way. Seven of them were pedestrians under the age of 16, and three were seriously hurt."

Kevin Shoesmith