Exeter parents speed warning
PARENTS driving their children to school are being urged to slow down and be more safety conscious.
Lorraine Dunn, headteacher of Exwick Heights, says the number of parents causing problems are “in the minority”, but warns that there is “an accident waiting to happen”.
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Headteacher Lorraine Dunn, governors chairman Rob Squires and parent and teacher association member Leah Rogers at Exwick Heights School during the morning rush
Her concerns are about the speed at which some cars approach the school, which is in a cul-de-sac.
Mrs Dunn said: “How a child has not been hurt I just do not know.
“The majority of parents are fine and considerate of other road users and residents, and they park courteously. I do appreciate this, but a minority have no regard for anyone else.
“It is a 20mph limit ,but some screech up to the school at 30 or 40mph and say it is because they are late. I would rather they were late than speed.
“It is also a cul-de-sac and residents are being blocked in.”
She said that problems could be eased if the school had a second entrance.
“Having one entrance is not enough and it is a poor design.
“We need an entrance at the top end of the school.”
She also believes problems could be eased if a footway linking Kinnerton Way with the school was built by Devon County Council. Referring to initial planning proposals for the school, she said: “I believe a path from Kinnerton Way, was a condition of the planning agreement but it has not been built.”
Rob Squires, chairman of the school’s governors said: “The staff have enough to do and should not have to police traffic in the mornings and afternoons.
“In Leicester Mead, we get complaints from residents as some parents are actually parking on gardens there.”
Leah Rogers, 39, has two children at the school. She is a member of the school’s parent and teacher association and walks her children to school.
She said: “Some drivers don’t adhere to the speed limit and they park on corners which means you have to walk around the back of cars. It is a safety issue.”
Rob Hannaford, Exwick’s county councillor said: “ I don’t think the school should have been completed without a much-needed second entrance at the Exwick Lane and Peterborough Road junction. It would have helped take some pressure off the Gloucester Road entrance, and reduce the travel times for some pupils.
“The absence of a second entrance has been further compounded by the fact that the scheme to put in a path up from Kinnerton Way has died off after many years of dispute.”
A spokeswoman for Devon County Council said: “We are working up a detailed scheme to provide a combined cycle/footway on the north side linking through to Kinnerton Way.”
21 Comments
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by a bradford, exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 10:11PM
“i have notice that the school children parents , note not just mum, they race down knowle drive , moorland way , well above 20 mph ,
THEN THEY ARE SURPRAISE WHEN THEY MEET THE LARGER SCHOOL BUS , WHERE I HAVE NOTICE THEY WELL BELOW 20 MPH ON APPROCH TO THE CORNERS, AS THEY KNOW THEY GOING MEET A MUM OR DAD COMEING AROUND THE CORNER TOO FAST , SURE THE ONES IN CAR WOULD COME WORSE OFF”
by D West, Exwick
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 8:38PM
“You will find that the problems up at the school would be far less, if the majority of the parents wern't so lazy and actually walked thier kids to school. I have seen kids being driven from Moorland way to the school which is a matter of 800 yrds away!!! pure laziness”
by orville the duck, nepal
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 6:52PM
“Rubbish B.Brush......you've never been on everest. Im here now and nobody has ever heard of you,,,,and scotch eggs don't roll, they just plug like a golf ball in a bunker”
by ed ringer, exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 6:38PM
“why is it just a problem at this school.?there iis a 20mph limit around most parts of st thomas and exwick but i dont recalll seeing anyone actually being prosecuted for speeding in these areas.whats thhe point of making 20mph zones unless its enforced.i've lost count the number of times i have been overtaken on exwick rd because i am doinng 20mph..and yes if you check the drivers who break the limit most live locally”
by B.BRUSH, In mr beans left wellington boot
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 5:15PM
“Dear Len, the cars sometimes drive faster than a scotch egg rolling down Mount Everest (You cant buy half a scotch egg anywhere) Please keep your rally car away from the school you sound as dangerous as Orville the duck after a few beers (i wish i could fly right up to the sky but i cant) keep on keeping on, chow.”
by mumxx, Exwick, EXETER
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 4:30PM
“What a laugh!! a good driver at 17 I dont think so and an old man with an over inflated ego too!! it warms my heart to read that you are all so concerned about the safety of our children. get the council off their butts and get the footpath and the 2nd entrance sorted ,I also think there should be a better place for blue badge holders to park, if there was a dropping off point it would be alot easier too as some parents are just dropping off older children and do not need to park. Unfortunately some of the residents make the situation worse by pulling their cars off of their drives and parking awkwardly so that parents have an even harder time trying to find a space, as for being late being better as Mrs Dunn suggests, why do we then get letters from the school telling us off because our children have been late ???”
by SKoM, Cullompton
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 4:20PM
“Keep it up Dick.
6 points is all you need to make the roads safer for the rest of us.
Just make sure you don't miss that bike with your 'black out windows'”
by SKoM, Cullompton
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:24PM
“Thanks Len
You prove my point superbly.
Now calm down or next time you post you'll give us your full address and telephone number to go with your email address.”
by Katy Brereton, Exwick
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:23PM
“slow down len”
by dick, exeter
Wednesday, March 10 2010, 3:18PM
“well said Len
i am a 17 year old driver with a young mans reactions. i drive a fast car with black out windows-- and like you Len i've never crashed. speed limits are for poor drivers only.”