Our fears are coming true, say parents (From Warrington Guardian)

Our fears are coming true, say parents

PARENTS and parish councillors say their fears have been realised as children risk their lives by ignoring a new route to school.

Pupils from Davenham and Moulton started a new term at the County High School, Leftwich, last week using a route designed for cyclists and pedestrians after Cheshire County Council cut the free bus service.

Parents were concerned that this route, which runs next to the busy A556 and uses an underpass beneath it, was unsafe.

As reported in last week's Guardian, they feared that children would take a shortcut across the dual carriageway rather than use the underpass.

Mark Green, chairman of Moulton Parish Council, said: "The number of children running across the road is frightening."

Parent David Tunstall, of The Hollies, said: "Somebody's going to get injured - 70 per cent of kids went across the main road."

Photographs of the risks taken by pupils walking or cycling to school on their first day back have been published by parents on a website to highlight the dangers.

The parish council is also joining parents in lobbying the county council to try to find a solution.

Clr Green said: "The county council is surprised and disappointed that children are crossing there and not using the subway, which is one of the things we were saying all along.

"One idea is to invite people from the council in to talk to us about why they think it's safe - a face-to-face meeting may force them to do something."

A spokeswoman for the county council said pupils had the option of using the prepared route or a paid for bus service and that the route follows locally and nationally defined criteria.

gbebbington@guardiangrp.co.uk