Page 5 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • September 2003
Safety hazards shifted to school gates. Head calls for urgent action.
Since a series of humps were in- Way had been reduced but evi-
stalled in May on Freshbrook dence of significant increased traf-
Way, to slow traffic down and fic on Beaumaris Road was not
provide greater safety to children conclusive.
crossing on the way to Oliver Commenting on a 50 name peti-
Tomkins School, drivers have al- tion calling for measures to reduce
tered their routes and are now traffic volume and speed, he said
using Beaumaris Road outside the that it would be considered by
school itself. This now endangers councillors, along with traffic
children approaching the school study information, when a new
from other directions. committee structure is imple-
Paul Buley, who lives next to the mented in the Autumn.
school, said there had been a defi- • Long awaited traffic calming
nite increase in traffic flow and work on Langstone Way outside
also a change in driver behaviour. Westlea School started on 18 Au-
"The school traffic is heavy but Oliver Tomkins lio,,l crossing patrol person Ros Holland can just be seen gust. It should be completed by
parents knew how to negotiate the the start of the new school term.
trying to protect pedestrians on Beaumaris Road
limited amount of space. Now
there's a lot of commuter traffic avoid collisions. There has been a
avoiding the humps and delays on definite increase in traffic from
main routes like Whitehill Way. drivers who want to save a few Stretch your child's imagination
"Some of the drivers play chicken seconds in their trip to work and
against each other to see who can are not so concerned about pedes- in three directions at once
get to a small space in the road trian safety; Beaumaris Road has
first. It's also amazing that some been turned into a rat run. Here's a way to spend weekends that
parents will park on Beaumaris "We were not consulted about
Road half an hour before school the humps on Freshbrook Way. will have 4 to 16 year olds buzzing.
opens. They could walk their child Now the lives of children and par-
to school and return home in that ents approaching from other areas Enrol them in your
time." are being put at risk." local Stagecoach
Junior school headteacher Eliza- However, rapid action by Swin-
beth Wood expressed grave con- don Council is not expected. Bob theatre arts school
cern for the safety of children at- Sanders from Swindon Council's where they can learn
tending her school and the adja- highway planning department to act, sing & dance.
cent infant school. "There have said that the traffic studies under-
been some very worrying incidents taken before the holidays showed
with cars riding up the curb to that traffic speeds on Freshbrook The skills they learn
aren't just for the '
Safe access to Lydiard Fields stage. They grow in confidence and self-esteem.
No longer do walkers and cyclists have to risk life and limb amongst
fast moving cars and heavy trucks to get to work at Lydiard Fields, Stagecoach training is a training for life,.
close to M4 Junction 16. There's no audition. Enthusiasm is all they need.
The completion by Swin-
don Council of the footpath Call Principal Sheryll
and cycleway from the NEW TERM STARTS
for a prospectus on
Whitehill Way/Blagrove ^' `.^ SATURDAY 20th SEPTEMBER
Roundabout links into the 0800 389 7686
network of non-vehicular s 6,.- ^
routes through West Swin-
don and the rest the town. STAGECOACH
_ _r
•

http://www.stagecoach.co.uk
-

j.
L CRAFTSMAN

KITCHE;N;S

Phillips Lane (off Devizes Road), Swindon
.-- . Tel: (01793) 495500