Parents are calling for immediate action to tackle traffic chaos outside a primary school after a bus nearly hit a young child when it mounted the pavement.
Lianne Dee says her husband had to push their four-year-old daughter Francesca out of the path of the bus having just picked her up from Highfield Community Primary School in Blacon Point Road, Blacon.
Lianne, supported by other parents and ward councillors, are worried about the frequency of near-misses. They say the existing bus stop must be relocated and the chicanes removed because they cause blockages and driver confusion.
Problems are particularly bad during peak times at the moment because of construction work to build extra care housing on the site of the former infants’ school next door but there are also traffic fears once the 65 apartments are complete.
As the Chronicle went to press Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesman revealed there are plans to remove the chicanes in February and relocate the bus stop.
In addition, discussions with the highways department have led the building contractor to install a wheel washer to prevent mud going on the road and repair the footpath which had been damaged by heavy vehicles. Cones are also being laid out by PCSOs to prevent parking opposite the school at busy times.
Lianne, 34, a mobile hairdresser, of St Chad’s Road, Blacon, praised highways and police but remains sceptical about when the lay-out changes will take place.
She said: “The council keep saying they will get round to moving the bus stop and put a temporary one somewhere else and at some stage they will remove the chicanes but no one has given us a concrete date as to when it will get done. We are not willing to wait any more.”
And there is more construction work in the pipeline because the primary school is due to be rebuilt to the rear of the site.
Lianne, who also has a two-year-old daughter Sophie, said Francesca was on her scooter riding along the pavement with her dad when the Stagecoach bus mounted the kerb earlier this month.
“He had to grab her and pull her out of the way and sling her into the fence,” added Lianne, who said witnesses were screaming but the bus just drove off.
She said Francesca was ‘very upset’ during the following week and had to sleep in her bed every night.
Lianne, a governor at the school, who has met council highway officers, continued: “If it had been me that had picked her up that day I would have had the baby in my arms and I would not have been able to get to her. I’m not that quick. I can’t imagine what would have happened.”
Lindsay Reid, a spokeswoman for Stagecoach whose bus was involved in the incident, said: “We were very concerned to hear of this incident and have carried out a full investigation into what happened. The driver has subsequently been subject to our internal disciplinary procedure. We continue to liaise closely with the local authority regarding the road layout in the area.”
Debra Heaton, a spokeswoman for Arriva, who also operate a service on the route, said: “We are aware of the issues outside of Highfield Primary School and we are working with both Stagecoach and the Cheshire West and Chester Council to resolve the situation as a matter of urgency.”
Council spokeswoman Shirley Wingfield said: “We have listened to residents’ concerns and have had worked planned for some time. At February half term the chicanes will be replaced by flat topped road humps which can be used for crossing the road. Also at a date to be fixed the bus stop is to be moved away from the school and will be located by the old nursery entrance.”
Blacon ward councillor Reggie Jones commented: “This section of the highway has been the subject of many campaigns by mums and dads and local residents who are fed up with having to live with the reality of heavy traffic, buses and school drop off and pick up times.
“Councillors have warned the council numerous times that this was an accident waiting to happen and our protests have largely been ignored as we have been told the council doesn’t have the money to do anything or it will be addressed next year.
“That is not good enough and we are demanding that urgent action is taken before a child is seriously injured or killed.”
