The safety of children walking to school in Ballabeg is at risk because of the ‘horrendous’ traffic.
That is the view of parent Ali De Backer, who – with other parents – is calling for action to be taken.
Ali said: ‘I try to walk my son to school as much as possible, I have got two small ones as well. It’s healthier and better for them to walk, but the traffic is horrendous. It’s the volume and the speed.’
Ballabeg is on a blind corner with, at intervals, little or no pavement. This means Ali, with her six-year old son Fynlo, Ivy, two and baby Beau, must cross the road twice going each way between home in Friary Park and the school.
Although there is a 30mph speed limit in the area, Ali said: ‘It’s scary how fast people drive, there is no way people are driving at 30mph.’
There is some parking at the school, but many parents drive their children there – partly because of the dangers of the traffic, exacerbating the situation.
Ali posted her concerns on the Friends of Arbory School Facebook page. She said: ‘I asked if people agree or disagree – lots of people agreed.’
She said they also have the full support of head teacher Jonathan Ayres.
Ali and other parents from Friary Park discussed the issue at a meeting with the local authority, Department of Infrastructure minister Phil Gawne and highways officials.
Commissioners’ chairman Adrian Cowin said: ‘We discussed the parents’ concerns and also a number of other traffic-related problems in Ballabeg, including the inadequacy of the Friary Park junction, parking outside the school and elsewhere, and the general problem of traffic speeding through the village.
‘It was recognised that traffic issues could only get worse, particularly as a result of over 60 new houses being built at Cronk Cullyn in Colby.
He added: ‘The Minister agreed that his officers would make a study of traffic through village and then draw up a scheme that would try to address the problems. It was made clear though, that because of the present workload at the DoI, draft plans for consultation could not be expected until the spring of 2016.’