I've had several near-misses with children while driving down King Edward avenue  in Worthing, a concern that I share with many other parents and local residents. This particular stretch of road, near to the school, is especially hazardous. Every day, parents park their cars in the garages alongside the road to pick up their children, which creates a line of vehicles on both sides and significantly reduces visibility. The situation is complicated further with three-way traffic continuously flowing in the area, making it extremely perilous for young students attempting to cross.

Currently, the other side of the bridge benefits from traffic lights which mitigate such risks, but our side remains devoid of any safety measures. Seeing children dart between parked cars to cross is an incident waiting to happen, one that can be easily prevented by installing traffic lights or assigning a dedicated crossing guard, commonly referred to as a 'lollipop person'.

Assigning a crossing guard would provide immediate oversight during peak school hours, ensuring children have a safe passage. However, a more sustainable long-term solution would be the implementation of traffic lights at this busy point of Kingedward avenue. Such infrastructure would not only protect pedestrians but also facilitate smoother traffic flow, alleviating the current chaos and danger experienced daily.

A study by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) highlights that effective street crossings and traffic lights dramatically reduce the likelihood of accidents. By implementing these changes, not only do we safeguard the lives of children, but we also prevent drivers from experiencing potentially traumatic incidents.

I urge the Worthing Borough Council to prioritize this issue and allocate resources towards this essential improvement. We all want to ensure our children’s safety and enhance our community's wellbeing, and small changes like these can have huge impacts.

Please sign this petition to show your support for safer crossings on Kingedward Road.