Back To School Brings Road Safety Worries

Warnings of potential danger near local primary schools

As hundreds of Chiswick children return to school after the holidays, residents have voiced their concern about the potential for accidents unless safety issues are addressed.

Parents of Belmont School primary children have appealed to the local authority to fix a flashing school sign which has not been operational for several months. And in the Thames Road area of Strand on the Green, a petition has been set up asking for a 20 mph speed limit to be introduced in the area which also has a nursery and primary school.

LBH is considering introducing a 20 mph limit in the vicinity of all primary schools but this is expected to take some time.

Cllr John Todd has supported parents of Belmont Primary School in their bid to have a school warning sign repaired- he said he reported this to LBH/Hounslow Highways nine months ago. There are two sets of non-flashing school lights not working and parents want immediate action now that the academic year has started.

One parent commented: "Having first reported this in December 2014 I am shocked and extremely exasperated that the council have done nothing to date, nine months later, to repair the school signs immediately outside of the Belmont School on Belmont Road, to ensure they flash during appropriate school run times. I am not aware of any other primary school in our neighbourhood that is located so near to a main road (Chiswick High Road) and immediately across from a major supermarket car park.

"There is NOTHING apart from these two small school signs to inform motorists that hundreds of young children are crossing Belmont Road from Monday to Friday. These signs have two lights beneath the word "SCHOOL" and, I assume, are meant to flash during school run hours. They have not worked since my son started Reception in September of 2013 and I only noticed that they are not functional after a very near miss where he narrowly avoided being hit by a car outside of the school gate last year".

She said concerned parents had reported this to the Council and a site visit had been made in the spring of this year (April) but as yet nothing has been done to fix them!

"There is also no proper pedestrian crossing outside of the school and the children and parents have to simply chance crossing Belmont and Dolman roads every morning, in the middle of commuter rush hour, and afternoon.

A petition to introduce a 20 mph speed limit along Thames Road has been set up by a local resident, which would also improve school safety in the area.Dr Alan Mc Bride said: "I'm fed up with inconsiderate drivers zooming down the road at 40 or 50 mph.

"I hope that local people will support the petition. I have an awful feeling that something really bad is going to happen, especially when we have a primary school so nearby."

The area around Thames Road has a good deal of congestion, particularly at morning and afternoon school pick-up times- the problem is exacerbated on refuse collection days and when large delivery lorries try to pass through.

If you are interested in signing the petition you can do so here

Hounslow Coucil said that the matter of Belmont Primary school warning lights had been raised again with Hounslow Highways, who have said it will be fixed.

Councillor Amrit Mann, deputy leader for Hounslow Council, said:

“We take the safety of our school children extremely seriously and I’m very concerned to hear about the faulty sign. Hounslow Highways, the borough’s highways provider, is doing their upmost to remedy the fault as soon as possible this week.

“A member of council staff met with parents and representatives from Belmont School earlier this year to discuss the road safety measures that have already been installed.  These include an informal crossing point outside of the school and a narrowing of the road to provide wider pavements.

“The council is seeking to introduce 20mph zones around all schools within the borough.

“A consultation has already been carried out regarding introducing this measure around Cavendish Primary School. Objections were received which has delayed the introduction of this scheme but the council is working with the school to address concerns.

In the next few weeks we will be asking William Hogarth and Strand-on-the-Green primary schools for their views on the policy.”

September 5, 2014