Shrewsbury residents call for crackdown over bad parking outside 'dangerous' school zone

Several children have been hit by cars outside schools in the Meole and Radbrook areas in Shrewsbury, and now a survey has found the public has had enough.

It comes ahead of a meeting on Monday evening of the Meole Traffic Group, in which Shropshire Council has been invited to give an update on road safety measures coming in.

A survey carried out by Meole councillor Bernie Bentick found that the overwhelming majority of residents want parking restrictions outside Meole Brace Secondary, The Priory and Meole Brace Primary schools, as well as a pelican crossing on Longden Road at Stanley Lane. They are also in favour of fines and stricter enforcement of parking outside schools, as well as a 20mph speed limit in west Meole.

Residents were split over installing speed bumps, putting in traffic lights at the Bank Farm Road junction with Longden Road.

The Meole Traffic Group will be meeting at Trinity Church in Church Road on Monday, November 7 at 7pm. Invitations have been sent to Shropshire Council staff including Mark Barrow, executive director for place, assistant director for infrastructure Steve Smith, CEO Andy Begley, and service development programme manager Ffion Horton.

The Radbrook Road Safety Group has also been campaigning for safer roads, and they are due to meet on November 25 at Radbrook Community Hall.

The community has been waiting since January for promised vehicle activated signs to slow cars down on Bank Farm Road, as well as updates on other measures.

Councillor Bentick recently said “frustration could turn to anger” over a lack of action.

Shropshire Council said this week the signs have now been ordered.

Richard Marshall, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for highways, said: “The safety of children travelling to and from school is vitally important and we’re grateful to the local community for highlighting their road safety concerns in the area, particularly in relation to walking and cycling in the vicinity of the nearby schools.

“Officers have been working closely with local residents and groups over the past few months as our plans have been developed and progressed, and are thankful for the opportunity to attend the meeting on 25 November to enable people to find out more.

“A number of measures have been looked at and are happening, but there are also future changes to the area that also need to be mitigated. This includes the new schools on Squinter Pip Way. Officers are therefore also looking at work that would help support and improve safety around all the existing and new schools in the area, well into the future.”