YOUNGSTERS in the Ronkswood area of Worcester have united for a much-needed road safety campaign.
Perry Wood Primary School, Nunnery Wood Primary School and Nunnery Wood pre-school teamed up with Worcester City Councillor Elaine Willmore to introduce banners, flags, parking buddies, wheelie bin stickers and bollard covers in a bid to stop drivers speeding and eliminate dangerous parking.
Over £2,000 was secured from the West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner’s road safety fund to purchase the road safety equipment to make drivers aware they were entering a 20mph area.
Coun Willmore said: “The whole area between Spetchley Road and Newtown Road incorporating the Red Hill and Ronkswood estates is a 20mph zone but there are only signs entering the estate on Nunnery Lane and Canterbury Road. Regulations state that repeater signs can’t be put up and while the presence of speed bumps should indicate it is a low-speed neighbourhood, the resurfacing of Canterbury Road levelled off the bumps to the point that they are almost flat.
“Due to the lack of signage, many drivers simply aren’t aware they are in a 20mph zone. There are also daily problems with people parking on double yellow lines and zig-zags during school drop off and pick up which is putting children at risk.”
She continued: “The children from Nunnery Wood primary school gave countless accounts of inappropriate parking and aggressive behaviour on their journeys to and from school. A pupil was hit by a car last year outside of the school and they are worried it could happen again. They hope that the signs will help spread awareness to the adults who cause these problems.”
A spokesperson for Nunnery Wood pre-school added: “This project has been designed to help us. We need drivers to understand that our young children are so unaware of danger. An accident at 20mph is far less likely to result in serious harm. We are grateful to Elaine for her support in trying to make our community a safer place to be.”
