Pupils campaign for new crossing

Youngsters from Swallownest Primary School were at the roadside with a mobile speed camera on Tuesday morning conducting a traffic survey.

Helped by officers from Rotherham Council the children monitored the speed of drivers along the 30mph stretch on High Street.

They also counted the number and type of vehicles travelling along the road.

Teacher Amy Hirst explained that the speed gun exercise was part of a campaign the children had started to some type of crossing outside the school.

“All the children live this way and use this school gate when the leave and arrive for school so there are 200 pupils plus families and pushchairs using this road,”

she said.

“We have a lovely lollipop lady and yellow zig-zagged lines, but this is a campaign to get a crossing. We’d like anything that can help”

“It’s quite a busy road and there are cars lining it either side at the beginning and end of the school day.”

“There are also a lot of emergency vehicles that use the road.”

Mrs Hirst said a few years ago the school was successful in getting a zebra crossing on Rotherham Road, which links the school with its playing field.

“The children are doing the campaign this time,” said Mrs Hirst.

“This is the campaign starting. They have been thinking about how people travel to school. The majority of children live locally and walk to school.”

“The children have had a speed gun to check the average speed of cars. They are also doing a tally chart to see the type of vehicles using the road.”

“The children have been looking at writing persuasive letters. They will be writing letters to the council to showing and presenting their findings.”

Helping the children was road safety officers for Rotherham Council Andrew Lee and Ellie Parry.

“The children had lots of fun with the speed gun,” he said.

Mr Lee added that there are a number of criteria that would have to be met before the council would consider installing a crossing, such as the number and type of vehicles using the road.