Following a fatal road traffic collision near Tadcaster Grammar School on December 1st, 2025, the urgent need for road safety improvements can no longer be ignored.

For several years, Tadcaster Grammar School has been formally requesting safety measures from North Yorkshire Council. Parents have raised concerns repeatedly. Those requests have not resulted in action. The tragic incident was covered by ITV News and regional media, highlighting the devastating impact on our school community. Now, weeks later, the dangerous conditions remain unchanged.

It is time for North Yorkshire Council to act.

THE CURRENT SITUATION

Students traveling to and from Tadcaster Grammar School face documented hazards including:

ROADS & SPEED:
• 40mph speed limit on the A659 Leeds Road approach to school
• Frequent speeding by drivers exceeding even the 40mph limit
• Heavy traffic including HGVs and buses
• No traffic calming measures

INADEQUATE CROSSINGS:
• Only ONE Toucan crossing serving the entire route
• Drivers routinely fail to stop at this crossing
• Students must cross roads THREE times - only one crossing has any safety infrastructure
• Reports of drivers ignoring red lights and beeping at students legally crossing

LACK OF PROTECTION:
• No pedestrian barriers despite fast-moving traffic
• Narrow pavements blocked by overgrown vegetation on Toulston Lane
• Parked cars during pick-up/drop-off forcing children to step into the roadway
• No designated safe walking routes

DANGEROUS JUNCTIONS:
• Poor sightlines at key junctions including Toulston Lane/Rudgate
• No improvements made despite known risks

NORTH YORKSHIRE COUNCIL'S OWN POLICY

North Yorkshire Council is currently implementing 20mph zones outside schools across the county as part of their stated policy to improve student safety. Schools with 30mph limits are being prioritized for reduction to 20mph.

Yet Tadcaster Grammar School - with a 40mph limit on the main approach route, documented safety concerns spanning years, and now a tragic accident on record - has not been prioritized.

Under the council's own stated policy, Tadcaster Grammar School should be an urgent priority. We are simply asking North Yorkshire Council to follow its own policy and protect our students.

WHAT WE ARE REQUESTING

We call on North Yorkshire Council to commit to the following measures:

1. 20MPH SPEED LIMIT on the A659 Leeds Road in the vicinity of Tadcaster Grammar School

2. ADDITIONAL SAFE CROSSINGS - at least two more signal-controlled pedestrian crossings to eliminate unprotected road crossings

3. TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES - speed humps, raised crossings, and clear warning signage

4. PEDESTRIAN BARRIERS - physical protection along the A659 Leeds Road

5. JUNCTION SAFETY REVIEW - urgent assessment and improvements at Toulston Lane/Rudgate and other key junctions

6. ENHANCED ENFORCEMENT - speed cameras and police presence during school travel times

7. PAVEMENT IMPROVEMENTS - vegetation clearance and widening of narrow footpaths on Toulston Lane

8. SAFE DROP-OFF ZONES - properly designed pick-up/drop-off areas to prevent children stepping into traffic

TIMELINE:
• Formal commitment to these measures within 30 days
• Implementation plan with clear milestones within 60 days
• Completion of all measures within 6 months

Students cannot wait years for action. These are established, proven safety measures that should be implemented urgently.

WHY WE NEED YOUR SIGNATURE

This petition represents concerned parents, local residents, and anyone who believes that children deserve safe routes to school.

What happens with your signature:
• At 500 signatures: We deliver this petition with formal demands to North Yorkshire Council
• At 1,000 signatures: We request a public meeting with council highways leadership
• At 2,000 signatures: We escalate to regional media and national road safety organizations

Your signature adds pressure on North Yorkshire Council to fulfill its own policy commitments and prioritize student safety.

WHO THIS IS FOR:
• Parents and families of Tadcaster Grammar School students
• Residents of Tadcaster, Sherburn in Elmet, and surrounding communities
• Anyone concerned about school road safety
• Anyone who believes councils should follow their own stated policies

Sign this petition to demand that North Yorkshire Council acts on its commitments and implements these urgent, evidence-based safety measures.

The time for action is now. Our children deserve safe routes to school.