Improve Road Safety at Wickham Common Primary School

Attn. Bromley Council Traffic Management Department 

This petition is being raised to urgently request that Bromley Council and its officers implement traffic calming measures along Gates Green Road, in order to slow traffic to the limits prescribed and by doing so avoiding the opportunity for injury or near miss incidents to school children attending Wickham Common Primary School, as well as the school community and local residents.

We request the speed limit along Gates Green Road, in front of and close to the school, is reduced to 20mph at all times, given the school is also used for after school clubs, meetings and at the weekend for sports clubs. 

-TFL are expanding 20pmh zones to the Bromley Borough. Now is an ideal time to act. Click here for article on TFL 11 September 2023

We request more speed limit proactive signage and the review of other methods not only limited to signage i.e. the installation of safe crossing areas and road bollards to avoid people driving at speed along the centre of the road or indeed 'chicane' installations.

-The situation has worsened over the last year with an increase in the number of rush hour drivers passing through. We request that appropriate action is taken to make the school run safe again for our primary school children and local community. 

-Speeding guns have been loaned to Wickham Common Primary School and our Junior Traffic Ambassadors have recorded vehicle speeds of up to 39mph. 

-Council Traffic wardens are regularly on-site to monitor parking and driver speeds.

-A history of accidents on Gates Green Road including but not limited to: a fatal accident in the 1980s which cost the lives of 3 female pedestrians and an unborn baby; an overturned car in 2021/22; an accident in 1981/2 leading to two residents needing to be cut out of their car with significant injuries.

-A handful of ‘near misses’ have occurred in 2023. 

We respectfully request that preventative action is taken now as a matter of urgency rather than waiting until further fatal and serious incidents take place. 

This petition is written with the support of Wickham Common Primary School.