Plea as Altrincham school plagued by parking and driving problems

James Cash, who runs Oldfield Brow Primary School in Altrincham, stood before Trafford’s full council meeting and delivered the powerful message.

Alongside him was mum Claire Knowles, who handed over a petition bearing 536 names branding the problems at the junction of Stoke Avenue and Taylor Road as "unacceptable".

Mr Cash said his school received "almost daily reports of near misses involving our pupils".

“The causes vary wildly from parking that obstructs the views of other road users to very dangerous driving,” he said.

“Despite numerous attempts to physically police the area with school staff to remind road users of their duties within the law, a familiar pattern is that there is a slight improvement and then it very quickly reverts back to the dangerous driving and parking we see around the school, putting the lives of our children and the community at risk.”

James Cash delivers his speech to Trafford\'s full council meeting

And he quoted the words of one pupil sitting in the public gallery with his dad.

Thomas said: “Walking to and from school is not safe. Me and my friends have nearly been hit. I think we need to have safe spaces to cross the road and to help me and my friends feel safe.”

Another child called Dylan said: “I want drivers to be told if they are not doing the right thing, just like children are. I also think we should lower the speed limit around the school to 20mph.”

Mr Cash added: “It is our firm belief that stronger measures are needed to enforce parking and driving restrictions to keep our children safe.”

Ms Knowles said parents said the "whole community" is asking the council for help.

She said: “An incident, or what I prefer to call a near miss occurred last September which prompted me to join forces with our amazing community and ask our local council for help and put our children’s safety first.

“A car that we believed to be stationary suddenly reversed up Stokoe Avenue narrowly missing my six-year-old daughter she took one step off the kerb.

“This was at the corner of Stokeo Avenue where it meets Taylor Road.

"Our children are in dire need of a crossing here. This corner is very busy at school times and is now proving dangerous.

“It doesn’t help matters when cars continue to park on double yellow lines.”

Parents and the school want a school crossing patrol between the hours of 8.15am and 9.15am and from 3pm to 4m, or a permanent zebra crossing; the speed limit reduced to 20mph and/or speed humps/cameras/road chippings and signs; school road signs and/or children crossing signs; SLOW road markings and turn engine off signs.

Responding, Trafford’s executive member for highways, environmental and traded services, Cllr Stephen Adshead said: “Safety around schools is something that myself and this administration take very seriously. 

“We have a special working group which is still meeting now comprising senior officers and appropriate executive members who meet a number of times throughout the year.”

And he alluded to photographs that had been circulated to illustrated the problem at Oldfield Brow. 

He said: “Unfortunately, those photographs could’ve been taken outside most primary schools around Trafford. It’s [the problem] not unique. It is very sad that we still have all these issues.”

Cllr Adshead said the school would be added to the list of others requesting 20mph zones and that "no idling" signs would also be put up.

He added: “We will be speaking with the school and parking services and the local PCSO who should be working with parking services and catch these people and lay down on these people parking outside school, which is dangerous and should not happen.

"We will do all we can within our powers and resources to tackle this at every school.”

He also highlighted walking schemes where parents are encouraged to walk their children to school once a week. 

Addressing Mr Cash and Ms Knowles, he said: “You will be added to the list to be assessed for a crossing if it’s appropriate.”