Dear Local Community Members,

I trust this message finds you well. I am writing to bring a matter of utmost importance to your attention – the safety of our children during drop-off and pick-up times around Newhall Primary Academy. Despite ongoing discussions with Newhall Projects Ltd., crucial safety concerns remain unaddressed, and we need your support to ensure the well-being of our community's children.

1. Narrow Pavement on Round House Way:
The pavement leading to the school entrance on Round House Way is too narrow, posing a risk as it leaves minimal space for children and caregivers to navigate during busy periods. With the arrival of icy winter months, the lack of gritting increases the danger, potentially leading to accidents. We propose the installation of barriers along the entrance to provide a safe passage for our children and caregivers.

2. 20mph Speed Limit and Visibility Concerns:
The 20mph speed limit outside the school is not consistently respected, and the bottleneck junction on a blind bend near the only crossing point raises the likelihood of accidents. Despite requests to replace fencing hoarding for better visibility, they have instead planned to install a timber fence at the back edge of the planted verge on the north side of Bridge Street to deter pedestrians from crossing the road opposite the visitor parking spaces. This will funnel children and parents to use the existing intended crossing point.  

These essential changes have been repeatedly brought to the attention of Newhall Projects Ltd., but unfortunately, they remain unaddressed, even though the school has made similar requests for barriers.

We cannot afford to wait for an accident to be the catalyst for change. The safety measures in place may meet standards on paper, but the real-life challenges faced by our community during peak times are not adequately considered.

As we approach a time when the school will be at full capacity, welcoming over 60 additional children and their caregivers next September, it is crucial that we unite as a community to demand action now.

Please sign and share this petition to demonstrate our collective commitment to the safety of our children. Let us not wait for an incident to force change; together, we can ensure the implementation of the necessary measures to protect our community's most valuable members.

Thank you for your time and support.

Sincerely,

Ross McPherson