News that another safe crossing point is to be installed across a busy Thornbury road has been welcomed by locals.
A light controlled ‘puffin’ crossing is to be built across Grovesend Road near the junction of Sibland Road, Thornbury, as part of plans to provide a ‘safer route to school’ for children attending the town’s nearby Crossways Infant and Junior Schools and New Sibland Special School.
The news follows the recent crossing improvements across Midland Way to provide a safer route to the town’s Tesco store.
The Midland Way improvements included the installation of a new zebra crossing, as well as the construction of ‘dropped kerbs’ across the side access road into the car park of the nearby Tanners Court sheltered housing development in order to improve access to the new zebra crossing for these elderly residents.
Cllr Brian Allinson (Con, Stoke Gifford), Conservative Cabinet member for Transportation, said:
“The fact that until recently there wasn’t a safe crossing across Midland Way or plans to install a safe crossing to allow pedestrians to cross near to the Grovesend Road and Sibland Road junction just serves to underline the road safety backlog I inherited in 2007.
But where there are long-standing gaps, we are committed to using a variety of means to address them. This is why we have consulted closely with local schools and residents to try and identify not only the best crossing facility, but also the best location that will have the maximum impact on improving road safety locally.
This planned new crossing and the recently completed Midland Way crossing provide yet more evidence of our ongoing commitment to improve road safety both in Thornbury and across the wider district.”
Local parent and Conservative councillor for the Severn Ward, Matthew Riddle, has joined other parents in welcoming the announcement on the Grovesend Road crossing. He said:
“I think local parents will really welcome a safe crossing across Grovesend Road because it is an incredibly busy road.
It is great that we are making progress because local schools – backed by parents – have been asking for a safe crossing point across Grovesend Road near the junction of Sibland Road since 2005.
Anything we can do to encourage more walking to school is positive because not only is it promoting healthier lifestyles, but it is also reducing the number of cars used in the school run, which can often cause problems at the beginning and end of the school day.”
Work to install the Grovesend Road puffin crossing is expected to begin in the Autumn.
The crossing’s buzzers will be turned off at night to ensure that neighbouring residents are not disturbed.
Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council
