Richard Holden, the MP for Basildon and Billericay, is pushing for a new pedestrian crossing and safety bollards to protect children at The Willows Primary School in Basildon, Essex. The proposals follow a recent visit to the school on Church Road where officials saw drivers parking on zig-zag lines and mounting the pavement. During the observation, a child was nearly hit by a car while the MP and Headteacher Tom Robinson were watching the traffic.
Richard Holden, who also serves as the Shadow Transport Secretary, was joined by Roger Hirst, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex. Chief Inspector Paul Hogben and Councillor Jeff Henry also attended the visit to find ways to improve safety for the 650 pupils at the academy.
The group is calling for more support from the South Essex Parking Partnership, which made 166 enforcement visits to the area during the last school year. These changes are part of a larger plan by the Safer Essex Roads Partnership to remove all road deaths and serious injuries in the county by 2040.
Residents living near the school say that dangerous parking has been a problem for more than 30 years. The new plans for barriers and a designated crossing are intended to stop cars from driving on footpaths and provide a safer route for families during the morning and afternoon school runs.
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