On Wednesday, South Lanarkshire Council debated a motion calling for a review of the guidance used to assess “safe” walking routes to school.

This guidance is now more than 20 years old, does not reflect modern traffic levels or road safety standards, and can even allow routes with no pavements to be deemed safe.

The Motion (what was proposed):

✅ A South Lanarkshire–specific review of the guidance.

✅ Consideration of the concerns of parents, carers, and pupils.

✅ A report back to the Education Committee with clear recommendations.

The Amendment (what was passed instead):

❌ Removed reference to the concerns of parents, carers, and pupils.

❌ Replaced a local review with a request to an external regional body (the West of Scotland Road Safety Forum) to consider the guidance — meaning no set timetable, no clear accountability, and no direct action for Sandford pupils now.

⚠️ This outcome matters for Sandford–Strathaven families. A local review could have looked directly at the narrow, unlit path beside 60mph traffic, blind bends, and lack of barriers or safe crossings. Instead, responsibility has been pushed further away.

👏 We want to thank Councillor Katy Loudon, Councillor Elise Frame, Ross Clark, and all those councillors who voted for the motion. Councillor Frame also spoke up for the parents of Sandford, ensuring our concerns were raised directly in the debate.

Our campaign remains clear:

1️⃣ Reinstate school transport for Sandford pupils; or

2️⃣ Deliver real safety improvements — barriers, lighting, crossings, and proper path width.

We will continue to press for action. Please keep sharing this petition and encouraging others to sign. Every single voice matters.

✍️ Sign and share: change.org/SandfordSafety

#SandfordSafety #SafeKidsNotUnsafeRoutes