Otley school stands by crossing location decision (From Wharfedale Observer)

Otley school stands by crossing location decision

7:40am Wednesday 7th October 2009

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An Otley school is insisting a new pedestrian crossing will improve pupil safety – despite being “on a blind bend”.

Prince Henry’s Grammar School has been calling for years for a crossing to be installed on Farnley Lane – the scene of several near misses – to help safeguard its students.

So staff and parents were jubilant when Leeds City Council confirmed in the summer that it would be funding a new £42,500 zebra crossing for the road.

Work on the scheme, which will include raising the road on either side to slow traffic, adding dropped kerbs and moving a bus stop, is now imminent.

But resident John Holdsworth fears the siting of the crossing combined with the speed of passing cars could be a recipe for disaster.

He said: “As a long-standing resident on Riverside Park I have read with interest and a degree of concern about the plans for the crossing outside the Farnley Lane entrance to the school.

“Councillor Ryk Downes (Lib Dem, Otley and Yeadon) has been a vociferous advocate of this but is he aware that the majority of traffic travelling down Farnley Lane regularly exceeds the stipulated speed limit?

“The crossing is apparently to be sited very close to a blind area of the road and in my opinion the scheme has not been thought out fully, as it could well prove to be a danger in waiting for pupils trying to cross.

“I would strongly suggest that appropriate traffic calming devices should be installed as a matter of priority higher up Farnley Lane, which would hopefully ensure that most vehicles observe the speed limit.

“Surely such action would be preferable to the distinct possibility of accidents occurring on the crossing?”

The school’s deputy headteacher, John Dean, and Coun Downes – a parent and governor who helped drive the project forward – both accept that the location is “difficult”.

But they are also confident the crossing will reduce the risk of accidents. Mr Dean said: “The school has been pressing for a crossing at this entrance for some years.

“The proposed solution involves creating a substantial area of raised carriageway which extends to either side of the crossing. This is intended to slow vehicles travelling along Farnley Lane.

“While I accept that the site of the crossing is on a blind bend, there is no other option than the site proposed.

“The crossing does not have traffic lights at either side as this was not deemed to be a requirement by the local authority. “The current position, where there is no crossing at all, presents significant dangers to our students as they try to negotiate the traffic at the start and end of the day.

“There have been a number of near misses and some potentially major incidents which we hope to avoid in the future.”

Coun Downes said: “One of the issues that delayed the installation was that highways officers had been visiting the site to really look at getting the best safety arrangements for it, including a speed table.

“It is in a difficult location but the pupils are crossing there already, without any assistance, and that is a danger. So the officers thought long and hard about what to do and wanted to make sure they had taken all the measures they could.

“I have to trust the experts who have the knowledge to make these decisions. Traffic lights were considered but the volume of pupils crossing would have meant they would still be crossing once the lights had changed.

“And if we were to put the crossing further up Farnley Lane, where potentially it would be safer, the pupils simply wouldn’t use it.”

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