New path unveiled at Longden Primary School

A new path has been created outside Longden Primary School, Shrewsbury to help make it safer and easier for pupils and parents to access the school.

The new path links Longden Road to the school’s pedestrian entrance. Work on the path was carried out by Kier on behalf of Shropshire Council over the weekend of Saturday 18 May to Sunday 19 May, and it was used for the first time yesterday (Monday 20 May 2024).

The new path was funded by Shropshire Council’s sustainable travel team following a request from the school’s governing body.

Last year the school launched a ‘go slow’ road safety campaign, in which pupils were invited to design a road sign to remind drivers to drive slowly through village. Five winning designs were chosen and have now been made into signs and erected on roads near the school.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:

“Ensuring the safety of the county’s schoolpupils is hugely important. I am delighted to see the newly-completed entrance path, which will make access to the school safer, but also provide pupils with a planting area that they can help to look after in the coming years.

“This is a fantastic story of how the council, the school, Kier, councillors, parents and the children themselves have worked closely to help make it safer for pupils to travel to and from school.”

Sally Johnson, headteacher at Longden Primary School, said:

“Our pupils were so happy on Monday morning! We had lots of positive comments about it and one pupil is now busy planning how we can plant bedding plants along the sides of the path too. Our school community have been really involved in helping this to happen, and we are very grateful to the whole community for their support. The pathway is now much more user-friendly and safer for the children too. Thank you!”

Roger Evans, local Shropshire Councillor for Longden, said:

“This is a welcome addition and provides a much safer and wider access to the school. It will encourage more to walk, whilst also providing a barrier stopping our youngest ones running straight onto the busy main road that passes through Longden.”