PARENTS attending one of the borough’s newest schools have signed a petition calling for a speed limit to be reduced to 20mph.
More than 500 people put their name to the call for road safety measures to be installed on William Heelas Way, the home of Floreat Montague Park School.
Heather Murray, a resident in the estate since 2016 and parent of two, presented the signatures at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council on Thursday, September 22, backed by the schools headteacher Patrick Pritchard.
She said: “The petition is calling for working in Borough Council to put in place some essential interventions that keep our children safe as they go to and from the school.”
The 20mph zone was needed because, now that a bridge over the railway line had opened, cars were speeding through the estate.
“From the south, you go over a hump bridge to go over the railway followed by a sharp left turn immediately beside the school,” she said.
“There are no speed limit signs and no barriers to protect pedestrians on the pavement.”
Mrs Murray said that other schools had a 20mph speed limit, meaning “the precedent had been set and our school should not be an exception”.
Parents also wanted railings to be installed, and a crossing to be reinstated.
“There has previously been a painted crossing in place but the white lines were removed when the road surface was relayed,” Mrs Murray said.
“This crossing is indicated on the safe route of school but it’s no longer official, although it’s used by parents and children daily.
“The danger of this is that there are dips in the curb and there is a section in the middle of the road for people to wait. But without the white lines. It is leading to increase ambiguity and therefore danger as some cars stop when they see pedestrians but others don’t.”
She also said pupils in school year four upwards were being encouraged to walk to school by themselves to create independence.
A previous ward councillor, Julian McGhee Sumner, had arranged with developer David Wilson Homes to fund half of the costs for reinstating the crossing, so the petition called on Wokingham Borough Council to fund the remainder of the costs.
“Ultimately, our key concern is the speed of traffic on the road outside our primary school, Floreat Montague Park,” she concluded. “We’re asking the Council to take preventative steps to reduce the chance of an accident … We believe it’s in the best interest of all children that they can walk and cycle to school in safety.”
