North Hull school's road safety plea turned down

PARENTS say it is only a matter of time before a child is knocked down outside a north Hull school.

Liz Wilson, head of The Green Way Academy in 21st Avenue, asked the council to redirect a pathway that leads from the school to its car park.

She shares the view of parents that it would be safer if the 150-yard pathway ended in the school playground.

But Mrs Wilson says the council has refused to meet her halfway in paying for the work and the school, on the specific advice of the council, has now chosen to lock a gate, blocking access to the pathway.

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Consequently, parents are electing to walk their children along 15th Avenue, where a pavement only runs along one side.

Lisa Anthony, whose children Kayleigh, 9, Connor, 7, and Amy, 5, attend the school, said: "It's an accident waiting to happen and it can be prevented.

"Children are walking down the middle of 15th Avenue, which is a one-way street.

"All the council needs to do is help the school pay for the path to be redirected so it comes out in the playground instead.

"It would be a lot safer if children were picked up and dropped off here."

Miss Anthony, of 8th Avenue, said four petitions are circulating among parents calling on the council to act now.

"Parents are very concerned," she said. "The head teacher is on our side and we have no problem with the school."

Mrs Wilson said an already bad situation has been made even worse by the council's decision to block access to the pathway.

She said: "We are caught between the devil and deep blue sea. For a long time, we have been warning about the danger the car park poses to our children, so we obviously don't want this path reopened.

"Similarly, we don't want parents and pupils to be using 15th Avenue because there is only a pavement on one side.

"For us, the only real answer would be to redirect perhaps a third of the path so it comes out in the playground.

"I have approached the council and offered to pay for half the costs from our own funds. But they have refused.

"I have been told funds are not available, but I would hate for it to take an accident before something is done."

The school does have a pedestrian access, but few parents use it, according to Mrs Wilson.

"We have long made clear to parents this is the safest option," she said. "But many people walk to school and choose not to walk the extra 50 yards to this entrance.

"We can debate this point, but it won't prevent a child from potentially being injured."