Traffic speed on Stone school route sparks safety worries
Community leaders are calling for help to get drivers to curb their speed on a Stone school route.
Manor Rise is used by many families to access schools in the Walton area. But the speed that some motorists drive along the road has sparked concerns.
Stone Town Council member Kerry Dawson raised the issue at this month’s meeting.
She said: “I have recently been contacted by a resident in my ward who expressed concerns about the speed of traffic using Manor Rise, specifically during school drop off and rush hour.
"He informed me that there had already been several near misses and a few minor incidents and is worried that it is only a matter of time before a child is hurt, given that Manor Rise is used daily by children who attend Manor Hill First School, Pirehill First School and Walton Priory Middle School as their main walking route.
“I share these concerns and I consulted with my fellow ward councillors Best and Powell and a couple of groups of local residents in the area who use the school.
"They had the same sort of things to say about the speeding and driving in general – it is an accident waiting to happen considering pretty much every child on this estate uses Manor Rise as their main route to school.”
She also told the meeting that she had raised the issue with county councillor Ian Parry, who had suggested speed indicator signs similar to those being used in other areas.
Point
Fellow members backed Councillor Dawson’s request for the town clerk to write to Staffordshire County Council to highlight the traffic issues and ask the authority to monitor the situation and take action.
Councillor Mark Green said: “I think that Councillor Dawson has a very good point. I wonder if we could ask the county council to make it 20mph around the school – or all the schools in Stone – to make it safer, even if it’s just during going home time.”
But Jill Hood, who is a member of the town, borough and county councils, said: “Unfortunately the county council will see this as a police matter.
“Speed indicator signs are temporary but they do work. It’s worth going back to Ian Parry and asking if he would be willing to fund them to be placed at the side of the road.
“I know the road very well, I travel it every day. It is 30mph but it’s almost as if people launch their cars to beat anybody coming down the other way.”
Councillor Jim Davies, who is also a member of Hilderstone Parish Council, said the village had a speed indicator sign installed near The Roebuck on Sandon Road.
“I will get some details from the parish clerk to give indication of costs”, he added. “I think we got some money through the Safer Roads Partnership and it wasn’t horrendously expensive.”
