Safer travel for children in Devizes (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Safer travel for children in Devizes

2:00pm Friday 13th July 2012 in News By Jill Crooks

Plans for a pedestrian crossing in Nursteed Road have been welcomed by residents.

Wiltshire Council is consulting on a proposed crossing outside the Moonrakers pub close to the junction with Roseland Avenue.

The crossing will also be near to a gate leading to Devizes School.

For the past 18 months, the gate has been locked in the afternoons because headteacher Malcolm Irons believed the vast number of pupils leaving the school could cause a road safety problem.

The school lobbied for a pedestrian crossing in Nursteed Road.

Mr Irons said: “I am absolutely delighted that a crossing is planned to be installed. It will offer more safety for our students.”

Three Devizes School pupils were involved in incidents while crossing Nursteed Road. One youngster was airlifted to Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, after suffering head injuries in a collision with a car.

As a result, Mr Irons locked the gate to stop pupils exiting at 3pm. It is open in the mornings as pupils arrive in smaller numbers.

Once the pedestrian crossing is operational, the gate will be opened in the afternoon.

Devizes Town Council’s planning committee has also welcomed the crossing.

At a meeting on July 3, councillor Peter Evans said: “The gate is closed in the afternoon because of the volume of children coming out. In the morning they are going in in dribs and drabs.

“I think this will be a great asset to help children cross that road, which is increasingly busy.”

The crossing will cost £50,000 and Wiltshire Council will use Local Transport Plan money allocated by the government. It is expected to be installed in the October half term.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “It is not proposed for accident-related reasons, but pedestrian safety reasons.”