CEC's Housing and Built Environment Action Group approved funding for temporary road safety improvements to McDonald Rd (close to Broughton Primary School) in late October. The Roads Department has been instructed to implement the changes pronto.
These interim changes – involving a build-out of the pavement, flashing lights and chevrons on the approach – are a response to several close shaves and at least 2 accidents. Local lollypop lady Margaret Montgomery was knocked down and injured for the second time in 12 months in November 2007. Permanent road-safety improvements are scheduled for financial year 2010–11.
School staff, Parent Councillors, some CEC staff and local politicians have worked really hard to bring about the necessary changes as soon as possible. CEC bureaucracy – specifically that part of it intended to link services and people more closely – has taken 2 years to get even this far ... yet another promise of imminent action.
Let us hope that this time something will finally be done. But even if it is, the process which was supposed to respond urgently to a demonstrably dangerous problem hasn't worked quickly enough. Spurtle urges readers to contact Councillors and demand more efficient, swifter CEC responses in future.
For background see Issues 163–6, 168.