New safer route to Market Drayton Infant School

Pupils, parents and local people are celebrating the completion of a new safer route to Market Drayton Infant School.

This route, which was officially opened by the pupils yesterday (Wednesday 9 March 2011), includes wider pavements, better signage and road markings,and a safer crossing point with better visibility.

The school did their first travel plan with Shropshire Council in 2007,and parents commented on some of their concerns about safety on Longslow Road and Clive Road.  As the school is committed to promoting walking to school, it wanted to increase safety for pedestrians, and the requests for improvements went to the council’s Safer Routes to School team.

A total of 57 per cent of pupils currently walk or cycle to school, and the number has grown over the past two years.

Councillor Martin Taylor-Smith, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for transport and IT, said:

“We are particularly pleased that the parents and children have been able to design some new signs with their artwork on them. The local police team have been into lunchtime sessions at the school and are heavily involved in promoting safe behaviour on the roads around the school.”

Roger Hughes, a Shropshire Councillor for Market Drayton West, said:

“I’d particularly like to thank Sian Rushton for working with everyone involved to make this happen.”

Headteacher, Samantha Scott, said:

“This has been a great success and an excellent example of the whole school community working together, and I must say a special thank you to all who have been involved.  It will certainly improve the safety for children walking to school.”

Lots of members of the local community have worked together on this project – councillors, parents, the school staff and pupils, the police and the council’s safer routes and traffic management teams, and all were represented at yesterday’s opening, when the children who designed the new signs officially launched the scheme.