Calls for action to tackle 'dangerously unsafe' Sheffield junction
The dad of a Sheffield girl run over on her way to school wants action to change the 'dangerously unsafe' junction where it happened.
Grace Jacobs, was knocked down on Hangingwater Road in Fulwood on her way to school last December, breaking her wrist and leg.
Her dad Martin says the council told him it's not safe for a traffic warden to be stationed there - but haven't provided an alternative.
This morning parents and kids walked across the road in Fulwood to highlight the issue.
Martins told us it's really dangerous:
"To cross it you have to stand in the middle of the road to see traffic coming in one particular direction. A car came up that road, the car slowed down, she thought it was stopping, resulting in her being hit which resulted in two breaks to her wrist and three to her right leg"
"It is quite critical that it's sorted out quite soon because children are literally taking their lives in their own hands and it's only a matter of time before somebody does have a serious accident. My daughter just got clipped with a car. We don't want somebody to be seriously injured or killed."
"I'm angry but also frustrated, very frustrated, because the children want to walk to school. There's no alternative other than that"
Martin and the other campaigners are calling for a crossing to be installed - they say more than 100 school kids cross the road every day.
His petition for a better crossing has now gained over 5-thousand signatures online - it can be found here.
The council say they're investigating the problems raised by the petition - and in the meantime they've put measure to improve safety in the area.
Cllr Mazher Iqbal, cabinet member for transport and infrastructure told Hallam:
"Signs that say ‘Children Crossing’ have been provided and a speed indicator device was installed in July. Also, in autumn we plan to extend the Greystone’s 20mph zone to include the section of Hangingwater Road to the traffic lights at Oakbrook Road.”
“There have been significant cuts to our road safety budget from central government over the past six years. We are having to make very difficult decisions about how we prioritise road safety improvements, but in this case, we have found ways to reduce the risks. We will continue to work closely with residents and our Streets Ahead team to make Sheffield’s roads as safe as we can."