Page 7 - link magazine

nk.com The Link Magazine • May 2001 7
Yet another tragedy narrowly avoided

A party of school children from Westlea School narrowly escaped an accident in early April while crossing Corton Crescent behind
the West Swindon Centre, at the same spot where teenager Shaun Shirley was killed in mid-January.
Every Thursday during term
time classes walk to and from the
Link Centre and have to cross the
busy road, close to the fuel station
entrance. They are always closely
supervised by teachers, support
assistants and volunteer parents.
On this occasion, as usual, a helper
walked up the road to stop the
traffic and a teacher stood in the
road to guide the children across.
While they were part way over a
blue Mercedes came around the
bend and rather than slowing
down the driver weaved around and mount a campaign." Walk to school
the teacher to continue along She added that parents want to Swindon Council is promoting Na-
Corton Crescent. Fortunately the see pedestrian crossing traffic tional Walk to School Week, 21 to Black Cat
children at the front of the party lights installed on Corton Cres- 25 May, to encourage parents to School of Motoring
stopped in time. cent, similar to the new set which leave the car at home and take the
Attention was drawn to the started operation in April at healthier option by walking. New local school
problem of traffic congestion out- Ashington Way, on the opposite For details and a curriculum tool
side Westlea School in the April side of the West Swindon Centre. kit,' call Margaret Tester on 466399. recently opened
Link after there was an earlier near-
miss involving seven year old Ri- Discounts available
chard Cook. Parents are demand- Dr Rod Houseman Gift vouchers available
ing traffic calming measures to re- Patients at the Link Surgery were shocked at the sudden death of for birthdays etc
duce speeds and the volume of highly respected GP Doctor Rod Houseman, 57, in late March, after
traffic using Langstone Way as a he collapsed of a heart attack in Asda at the West Swindon Centre. Tel: Barry Hunter 700131
rat run into Swindon. Approved . Driving Instructor
Following this latest incident Dr Houseman set up the Link Dr Houseman's wife Pamela, the
parent-governor Dawn Dolphin Surgery next to the Link Centre in practice nurse, intends to continue 50% OF
said, "we need to educate people 1991, ini- running the surgery which cur- FIRST LESSON
to slow down; a 30mph speed limit tially prac- rently has a list of 2,700 patients,
is too high in residential areas. Cars tising from with a new doctor.
are going faster and people are in a portable
too much of a hurry. I hope the buildingbe-
driver who nearly mowed down fore moving
the children on Corton Crescent is to a purpose
thinking about his actions. built sur-
"The council says there haven't gery in 1994.
been enough fatalities to justify Dr Peter
spending money on traffic calm- Swinyard of
Dr and Mrs
ing, but you can't put a price on a the Phoenix
Houseman in 1997
child's life. Our children are too Surgery in
precious to have to wait for one of Toothill said, "it is tragic that the
them to be killed before putting up strain of general practice caused
a few signs. If the council won't his premature death. He will be
give us the money we will have to sadly missed by his colleagues."
raise it ourselves. There should be Dr Kandiah of Sparcells Surgery,
a 20mph speed limit around all added, "Rod was very dedicated.
schools and speed humps either It isn't easy building a practice up,
side would make drivers slow but he was a symbol of hard work.
down. Schools need to get together We will miss him."

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