Crash at school causes concern

10:53am Thursday 31st July 2008

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A matter of minutes spared the village of Baydon from catastrophe on Thursday when a 4x4 smashed into a parked car outside the village school.

The incident took place at 3pm but if it had been 15 minutes later, mothers and children could have been in danger, said parish councillor Tony Prior.

Coun Prior said: "It could have been very serious indeed. Fortunately all the children were still inside the school and the mothers hadn't started gathering outside. Otherwise there could have been carnage."

The black Range Rover struck a parked BMW, propelling it 40 yards up the street. The Range Rover itself ended up in a neighbouring garden. The male driver was uninjured but was taken to hospital for a check-up.

Coun Prior said: "He was sitting with his head in his hands and he was clearly in deep shock. But he was talking to paramedics and we have been told he was not seriously hurt."

Headmaster Peter Chambers and Coun Prior, who lives close by, were on the scene quickly.

A fire engine, an ambulance, a paramedic car and two police cars arrived shortly afterwards.

Coun Prior said speeding and road safety have been matters of concern for villagers. He said: "We sent out a questionnaire in connection with our parish plan and road safety was a main topic of concern.

"We reported back to the parish council with the concerns of the respondents and a traffic calming working group was set up two or three months ago. It was due to report by the end of the year. This accident has changed all that and at the parish council meeting in August this will be at the top of the agenda.

"Because it is a straight road, traffic will speed and we have to find a way of slowing it down before there is a serious injury or fatality. We might not be so lucky next time."

Mark Austen, who has two children at St Nicholas School in Baydon, said the crash highlighted a situation that had been a bone of contention for years.

He said: "Had it been 3.15pm there would have been kids on the pavement and it doesn't bear thinking about what could have happened then.

"Maybe this incident will concentrate minds and we might get at least a barrier up outside the school.

"One chap did a survey a few months ago. He just sat beside the flashing 30mph sign between 8.30am and 9.30am one morning and found that 51 per cent of vehicles going past were going fast enough to make the sign flash."

Marlborough police said the driver is not going to be prosecuted as there was no evidence he was exceeding the speed limit.