Headteachers call for Queens Drive to be made safer before a child is killed

Four pupils from Lawn Manor Academy and two other pedestrians have been hospitalised over the past few weeks after being hit by vehicles on the busy road.

One head called it an “accident, potentially a fatal accident, waiting to happen.” 

Schools are fearful that it is only a matter of time before a child is killed on their way to or from school. New College and Holy Cross Primary School are located on Queens Drive and it is a major pedestrian route for other schools like Lainesmead Primary School and Nursery.

The headteachers have suggested measures that could be implemented to make the road safer including reducing the 40mph speed limit, and introducing speed cameras, humps and signage to make drivers aware of schoolchildren crossing. 

Lawn Manor Academy, New College, Covingham Park School, and Lainesmead, Goddard Park, Holy Cross, Bishopstone and Chiseldon primary schools have all signed a joint letter to Swindon Borough Council.

Head of Lawn Manor Academy Sandra Muir said: “What I don’t want is for it to get to a child being killed on that road before action is taken. 

“Hundreds of children cross this road on a daily basis. It’s genuinely a worry and we are waiting for something to happen.”

Three girls aged between 12 and 14 attending Lawn Manor were hit by a car on November 9 on their way to school. They were taken to Great Western Hospital and, although their injuries were not life-threatening or life-changing, one girl is still receiving treatment.  

Another pupil was hit that same week.

Ms Muir added: “I was alerted on our radio system about the accident and went down with colleagues to the site. 

“It’s the worst call you have on the radio.

“There’s nothing alerting a driver there’s a school there. If there was a school crossing patrol there, that accident wouldn’t have happened.

“Most of the children coming to school are crossing the road at a very busy junction.” 

Headteacher of Lainesmead Primary Eirian Painter said:  “In relation to the incident a few weeks ago, where three students were knocked, it is clear that they were not to blame in any way. 

“This accident was witnessed by many children, some as young as three and four, within Lainesmead, who arrived at school extremely distressed.   

“We as headteachers are extremely concerned that the safety of our children, and their parents, is put at risk each day.  

“We live in fear that one day the call will arrive where the accident is of a far more serious nature.

“We fully understand that this is a main route into the town.  However, the residents of this community deserve to be protected and currently they are not.

“For some time now, parents have been providing us with their concerns regarding traffic on Queens Drive and the safety for them and their children. 

 “A large proportion of the school community at Lainesmead have no choice but to cross this very busy road each and every day and, as a school, we are growing more and more concerned that the amount of traffic, the speed at which it travels and the lack of mechanisms to control the speed will lead to a fatal accident.” 

Karen Salter, head of Holy Cross, said: “This is an accident, potentially a fatal accident, waiting to happen.

“We are very fortunate that nothing major has happened to any children from our school directly but we are aware traffic moves between the two roundabouts directly outside our school at great speed.

“It’s an incredibly dangerous road with overcomplicated junctions, spurts where drivers get up to high speeds, particularly on these dark evenings and mornings.”

Councillor Kevin Parry, the cabinet member for service delivery waste and transport, said: “I am very grateful to all the headteachers for highlighting their concerns about Queens Drive because the safety of pedestrians and motorists on our roads is an absolute priority for us.

“Our highways team has been in touch with Wiltshire Police to find out about the accidents referred to in the letter and it would appear driver and pedestrian error were significant factors in both collisions, rather than there being an issue with the layout of Queens Drive.

“Whenever accidents occur on roads, it is only natural to look for additional ways to make the road safer. 

“I understand that excess traffic speed was not a factor in either collision and installing traffic-calming measures like speed humps along Queens Drive would not be appropriate as it is one of the key arterial routes in and out of Swindon.

“However, I would like to assure people we do take road safety seriously and the council’s cabinet today will consider an updated Road Safety Strategy for Swindon, which if approved, would see the adoption of a safe systems approach with a key principle that road safety is a responsibility shared by all road users.

“Our road safety officer has also been in touch with many of the schools in the area to offer support and resources and we have been working with Wiltshire Police on a joint initiative to engage pupils on how they can keep themselves safe. 

“We are also making good progress on our School Safe Environment Zone (SSEZ) programme, which aims to improve road safety and congestion around our schools over the next five years.”